Adoptive transfer of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in scid mice.

Two protocols were examined for the ability to transfer a human T cell system into SCID mice. Upon intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) into SCID mice the injected cells could be recovered over weeks from the peritoneal cavity, yet human T cells did not seed into secondary lymphoid organs such as the spleen, lymph nodes or bone marrow. In contrast, SCID mice grafted with human embryonal thymus tissue contained high numbers of CD4+CD8- and CD8+CD4- human T cells in their lymph nodes and spleen when they had been injected i.p. with human PBL.