A simple method for the cryopreservation of lymphocytes. Retention of specific immune effector functions by frozen-stored cells.

A simple, quick and inexpensive method for cryostorage of lymphocytes is discribed. When injected into appropriate normal recipients, frozen-stored rat and sheep lymphocytes caused GVH and NLT reactions respectively. Sheep lymphocytes remained viable after several months storage and functioned satisfactorily as 51Cr-labelled target cells in assays for cytotoxic antibodies. Lymphocytes, including immunoblasts, drained from sheep efferent lymphatics during immune responses to injected murine P815 cells or allogeneic lymphocytes survived freezing; when thawed the cells retained specific immune cytotoxic effector functions including the ability to secrete complement-dependent and leucocyte-dependent antibodies