The demonstration of sIg, MHC and T cell antigens and Fc receptors on the lymphocyte surface by anti-globulin rosetting reactions: some technical considerations.

The previously shown marked difference in sensitivity of antiglobulin rosette formation and immunofluorescence was confirmed in detection of varying amounts of anti-Ig bound to B cells. The direct and indirect rosette method revealed twice the number of sIg+ cells shown by direct immunofluorescence (DIF), and at least an order of magnitude more antibody on the cell surface is necessary to detect the conventional B cells (shown by DIF) by indirect immunofluorescence compared with indirect antiglobulin (IARR) rosette formation. Variants of the sensitive IARR test were developed to reveal general lymphocyte, MHC class I and class II and T cell-specific antigens and Fc receptors using xenogeneic or allogeneic reagents. Sensitive indicator cells were used which form almost no rosettes with unsensitized lymphocytes although coated with IgG which would otherwise bind to the Fc receptor. The suggestion that chromic chloride treatment inactivates the relevant Fc determinants was supported by experiments showing the failure of IgG antibody-sensitized bovine RBC (standard Fc indicator cells) to form rosettes after treatment with chromic chloride.