Ligand-induced movement of lymphocyte membrane macromolecules. I. Analysis by immunofluorescence and ultrastructural radioautography.

The fate of different complexes on the membrane of thymocytes and spleen lymphocytes was studied with the use of both immunofluorescence and ultrastructural radioautography. The complexes of anti-immunoglobulin (Ig) with the surface Ig of B lymphocytes were present all around the membrane at 4 degrees C; an increase in temperature produced a rapid aggregation of the complex into a cap which was readily interiorized in vesicles. Ultrastructural details of this process were given. The movement of the complexes depended upon the amount of anti-Ig and the temperature. The complexes of anti-lymphocyte antibody with surface antigen(s) did not result in formation of a single large aggregate (or cap) unless an anti-antibody was brought into the reaction. The caps formed by this trilayered complex were not interiorized. Concanavalin A (Con A) bound to cell surface carbohydrate moieties and the complexes of Con A readily formed a cap and were interiorized. Finally, antibodies to H-2 determinants did not form in most instances a single cap aggregate even when anti-antibodies were used. With time the H-2 complexes tended to form several large aggregates with some endocytosis.