Progressive changes in cytotoxic potential during mixed lymphocyte culture.

In a previous study it was shown that at least one round of DNA synthesis is required for initial expression of cytotoxic function in mouse lymphocytes responding to alloantigen in vitro. In the experiments reported here we ask whether subsequent rounds of cell division are required simply for clonal expansion of this initial level of cytotoxic function within the population, or whether the amount of cytotoxicity per cytotoxic cell is altered during subsequent rounds of cell division. The amount of cytotoxicity per unit number of cells at various stages of culture was compared with the frequency of cytotoxic cells as estimated principally by effector-target cell conjugates. Our results strongly suggest that the amount of cytotoxicity per cell (cytotoxic potential) is not a static property of cytotoxic cells, but can be modulated up or down during the course of a reaction.