Expression of individual Ia specificities on T and B cells. I. Studies with mitogen-induced blast cells.

Ia specificities 1-10 were detected on LPS-stimulated splenic lymphocytes and on Con A-stimulated spleen, lymph node, and thymus blasts by direct cytotoxic tests. Since Ia antigens are not readily detectable on resting thymocytes, our results suggest that T cells require some signal before they exhibit full expression of Ia specificities. Absorption-elution studies indicated that most of the Ia specificities detected on T and B cells may be identical. Ia antigens detected by homologous antisera gave much stronger reactions than those detected by cross-reacting antisera.