The kinetics of interferon production by mouse lymphocytes and its modulating effect of the virus plaqueforming cell assay as a quantitative method to determine activated lymphocytes.

The validity of the virus plaque-forming cell (V-PFC) assay as a means to quantitate stimulated mouse T cells is dependent on the rate and amount of coinciding interferon production which varies with different strains of mice. In addition, the V-PFC assay demonstrates that the kinetics of cellular activation by mitogens initially involves about 0.01% of responding cells and possibly recruitment of other cells which include cells requiring a longer lap period for activation.