Cell electrophoretic studies on mouse lymphocytes treated with concanavalin A: possible existence of two types of receptors on cell surface.

Concanavalin A (Con A) induced biphasic changes in the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of splenic lymphocytes of AKR mice. At low concentrations of Con A (2-12.5 mug/ml) there was a significant increase in there was a significant increase in the EPM which could be attributed to the redistribution and endocytosis of Con A receptors. At higher concentrations (greater than or equal to 15.0 mug/ml) a reduction in EPM below that of untreated cells was possibly due to the binding of excess Con A after redistribution. The biphasic profile of EPM was observed only in respect of Con A-treated T lymphocytes. The EPM of B lymphocytes, despite binding of Con A, remained unaltered at all concentrations of Con A. On the basis of these data, the existence of two types of Con A receptors on the cell surface is proposed and their status vis-a-vis the redistribution is discussed.