Development of peripheral B and T lymphocytes in piglets.

The percentage of B and T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of piglets during their first 35 days of life was estimated by means of the immunofluorescence-labelled anti-L chains sera and the spontaneous E-rosette techniques. The mean values obtained for adult pigs PBL were 23.8 +/- 10.2% of B and 38.0 +/- 8.4% of T lymphocytes. The piglets showed a linear increase for the B lymphocytes starting from a mean value of 4% observed for the newborns. The trend of the T lymphocytes was represented by a bimodal curve. It starts for newborns at 3% and shows a change in shape by the 10th day. It is suggested that the piglets have adult levels of B and T lymphocytes by the time of weaning.