Leukocyte cell populations in hereditary muscular dystrophic chickens.

Adult hereditary muscular dystrophic (MD) chickens were compared with normal chickens for properties of the reticuloendothelial and lymphoid systems. Storrs strain MD chickens exhibited elevated levels of blood heterophils with reduced lymphocytes compared with normal Hyline SC strain chickens. Of the lymphocytes, MD chickens possessed a greater incidence of E-rosette forming cells than were present in SC adults. Similarly, MD spleens possessed more adherent cells with a greater incidence of heterophils than were found in SC chickens. This difference also extended to the peritoneal cavity. Recruitment of peritoneal exudate cells into the cavity with Sephadex stimulation led to a greater incidence of heterophils at the expense of macrophages in MD compared with SC chickens. These findings are discussed in light of the recent detection of a specialized adherent suppressor cell population in MD chickens, and with reference to the muscle disease.