Identification of T lymphocytes in human mixed hemopoietic colonies.

The addition of a T-cell growth-promoting medium (PHA-TCM) to culture conditions that support growth of multi-lineage hemopoietic colonies enhances the proliferation of cells with lymphoid morphology within these colonies. These cells were identified as T lymphocytes by their ability to form rosettes with SRBC and their reaction with monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4) directed against T-cell-specific surface components. They continue to proliferate extensively under the influence of PHA-TCM after transfer of mixed colonies into liquid suspension culture. Supportive evidence for a common progenitor of myeloid and lymphoid cells within single mixed colonies is provided by Y-chromatin body analysis of E-rosette positive and negative cells in colonies grown in cocultures of male and female bone marrow cells.