E rosette dissociation: evidence for a role of the cytoskeleton.

When put into 37 degrees C incubation, the E rosettes dissociate spontaneously and the sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) form caps at one pole of the lymphocytes. This process is associated with changes in cell morphology such as uropod formation or membrane budding. The disintegration of E rosettes and the capping of SRBC can be retarded by addition of cytochalasin B plus colchicine, chlorpromazine or sodium azide. These findings suggest a pivotal role of the cytoskeleton in the dissociation process of E rosettes. However, other mechanisms of disintegration are to be considered since none of the drugs can prevent the dissociation of E rosette entirely.