Spontaneous conversion of precursor cells into cells producing antibodies against sheep erythrocytes in cultures of mouse peritoneal cells.

The role of cell division in the spontaneous development of antisheep PFC in cultures of mouse peritoneal cells has been studied. Mitotic index measurement showed that most PFC were not recruited by division. LPS (a blastogenic and mitogenic substance) increased the number of PFC much more than it increased the number of mitosis. X-ray-irradiation of the donor mice did not affect the kinetics of PFC development. It was, therefore, concluded that PFC recruitment in mouse PC in culture was essentially related to cell differentiation, cell division playing only a minor role.