Human tonsil lymphocytes in the transfer of cell-mediated immunity.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes have the ability to transfer cellular immunity. In this study, we investigated whether human tonsil lymphocytes could transfer cellular immunity. Human tonsil lymphocyte ultrafiltrates, after separation through gel filtration, showed five fractions in Sephadex-G-10, as well as four in Sephadex-G-25,4. The extracts and the fractions have characteristic biochemical as well as biological properties. The biological activity of ultrafiltrates from human tonsil lymphocytes was compared with the activity of ultrafiltrates prepared from human peripheral blood lymphocytes, for identification studies of a 'Transfer Factor' from human tonsils. Ultrafiltrates prepared from human peripheral blood lymphocytes (Ascher et al., 1976) and tested, showed similar biochemical and biological properties.