B lymphocyte colony formation in renal infection.

The effect of renal infection on B lymphocyte colony formation has been investigated in the belief that a study of the effect of infection on subpopulations of lymphoid cells might provide direct evidence of the effect of infection on the immmune system. Renal infection was induced in mice, and the specific immune response of the B lymphocyte compartment was quantitated by determining the serum antibody and plaque-forming cell response to infection. Under the conditions of the experiment, the ability of splenic lymphocytes to form B lymphocyte colonies was significantly depressed during the first 7 days of infection, and the results suggest that a study of the responses of lymphoid cells to infection may provide information of diagnostic and prognostic value.