Characterization of pig lymphocyte receptors for allogeneic and non-allogeneic erythrocytes. I. Apparent common identity of both receptors.

In the pig thymus, the proportion of allogeneic (or autologous) erythrocyte rosette forming cells (P-RFC) is always lower than that of sheep erythrocyte (non-allogeneic) rosette forming cells (S-RFC) even under saturated RBC/lymphocyte ratios and optimal dextran concentration. This difference accounted for lymphocytes rosetting with sheep erythrocytes and not with pig erythrocytes (P-S+ cells), as opposed to those lymphocytes which are able to bind both types of erythrocytes (P+S+ cells). Since formation of both sheep and pig erythrocyte rosettes is inhibited similarly by anti-T receptor serum, is inhibited reciprocally by sheep and pig erythrocyte membrane fragment and is similarly trypsin sensitive, it was concluded that the same receptor was responsible for both sheep and pig rosette formation. Furthermore it was found that P+S+ cells had a higher avidity for sheep erythrocytes (and lower for pig erythrocytes) than the other subset which did not bind pig erythrocytes.