Autoradiographic studies of cultures of cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes in nonsuppurative meningitis.

Morphologic and autoradiographic studies of cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes in nonsuppurative meningitis showed that, in addition to blast cells synthesizing DNA in response to mitogens, blast cells not incorporating thymidine were present. The autoradiographic studies also showed small lymphocytes of the usual sizes incorporating 3H thymidine, indicating that they were in the growth phase of the cell cycle. The magnitude of the response of CSF lymphocytes from patients with tuberculous meningitis to purified protein derivative appeared specific. A response of this degree may be of value in the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.