Role of H-2 lymphocyte-defined and serologically-defined components in the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes.

The cell-mediated lympholytic capability of mouse spleen cells stimulated in mixed lymphocyte culture is determined by lymphocyte-defined (LD) and serologically-defined (SD) antigenic differences present during sensitization. Cells which are activated by LD differences alone are markedly less effective in causing lysis of target cells. This lack of cytotoxicity is shown to be, at least in part, due to the inability of LD differences to allow the efficient generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes. SD antigens not only serve as good targets for CML but are also shown to be important for the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes during the mixed lymphocyte culture.