Lymphocyte antigenicity loss with retention of responsiveness.

During culturing at 22 degrees C for more than 4 days, human peripheral blood lymphocytes lose their ability to stimulate allogeneic lymphocytes in mixed lymphocyte cultures. The cells retain their ability to respond to allogeneic lymphocytes or phytohemagglutinin for up to 10 days of culturing. The findings are relevant to reports on successful transplantation of cultured skin.