Spontaneous autorosette-forming cells in man. A marker for a subset population of T lymphocytes?

A subpopulation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes are capable of binding with human (autologous or allogeneic) erythrocytes, forming rosettes. The conditions which lead to autorosette formation are similar to those required for sheep red-cell rosetting. Ageing human erythrocytes are shown to bear less of the determinants involved in the phenomenon than younger ones. Evidence is presented that autorosetting is a T-cell marker. As autorosette-forming cells are very sensitive to the inhibiting effects of ATG they could therefore belong to a T-cell subpopulation.