Quantitative studies on the T cell populations in spleens from amyloidotic and non-amyloidotic mice.

Variations in the percentage and number of θ-bearing spleen cells from mice receiving various doses of casein were studied using anti-θ serum cytotoxicity and electronic cell size discrimination of spleen cell suspensions. Marked variations amounting to an almost total depletion of θ-bearing cells in the most amyloidotic spleens were found. These findings together with the observed variations in the number of small lymphocytes, large pyroninophilic cells and macrophages during the period of treatment support the hypothesis that release of an amyloid-inducing factor from dying lymphoid cells in the presence of specific antigen induce the production of amyloid by the macrophages of the spleen.