Thymocyte plasma membrane of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri: associated immunoglobulin and heteroantigens.

Thymic lymphocytes of the rainbow trout, S. gairdneri were disrupted and a plasma membrane containing fraction isolated by differential and buoyant density centrifugation. Radioiodine introduced into the membrane by the lactoperoxidase catalyzed reaction and immunoglobulin (identified by radioimmunoassay with monoclonal antibody) both copurified in the plasma membrane fraction. Rabbit antibody raised to the plasma membrane fraction showed a strong reaction with trout lymphocytes in immunofluorescence, was mitogenic for trout lymphocytes, and recognized lymphocyte membrane heteroantigens of molecular weight greater than 70,000 in the thymus and 45,000-95,000 in the head kidney.