Different labelling patterns in mouse lymphoid tissues with [3H]deoxycytidine and [3H]thymidine.

The percentages of labelled lymphocytes in smear preparations of mouse thymus were higher than those in similar preparations of mesenteric lymph nodes with either generally labelled tritiated deoxycytidine, [3H]CdR, or tritiated thymidine, [3H]TdR. Lymphocytes in the thymus cortex and in germinal centres of mesenteric lymph nodes were intensely labelled with [3H]CdR, whereas with [3H]TdR lymphocytes in the peripheral region of thymus and medullary cords of mesenteric lymph nodes were heavily labelled. The majority of lymphocytes in thymic cortex and germinal centres of mesenteric lymph nodes were labelled weakly with [3H]TdR. Thus, labelling patterns with [3H]CdR differed from those with [3H]TdR in lymphoid tissues of the mouse. Mouse lymphocytes can utilize [3H]CdR as a precursor molecule for cytosine and thymine in DNA. The ratio of radioactivity of thymine to that of cytosine was measured biochemically in DNA extracted from lymphocytes labelled with [3H]CdR. This radioativity ratio in thymus was higher than that in mesenteric lymph nodes. These results suggest that the metabolic activities of utilizing CdR for DNA synthesis differ within lymphocyte populations in various lymphoid tissues in the mouse.