Biomaterial Database

Effect of mitogenic and high, nonmitogenic concentrations of phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A on the number of human lymphocytes in culture. 1982

C W Distelhorst, and B M Benutto

A number of different investigators have observed a significant decrease in the number of lymphocytes in culture within 24 to 48 hr after the addition of mitogenic concentrations of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A). In order to investigate the mechanism of this apparent decrease in cell number, we compared the number of cells in culture, determined by the pronase-cetrimide technique, to the amount of cell DNA and cell protein. Although cell number appeared to decrease following the addition of PHA or Con A in a dose-related fashion, cell DNA and cell protein did not change. When lymphocytes that were incubated with Con A were treated with alpha-methyl-D-mannoside prior to counting, a decrease in cell number or viability was not observed and there was close agreement between the number of cells and amount of cell DNA in culture. We conclude that the number of lymphocytes in culture does not decrease during the first 24 hr after the addition of mitogenic concentrations of PHA and Con A, and that previous reports to this effect may be accounted for by problems associated with counting lymphocytes that are agglutinated by mitogens.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008213	Lymphocyte Activation	Morphologic alteration of small B LYMPHOCYTES or T LYMPHOCYTES in culture into large blast-like cells able to synthesize DNA and RNA and to divide mitotically. It is induced by INTERLEUKINS; MITOGENS such as PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS, and by specific ANTIGENS. It may also occur in vivo as in GRAFT REJECTION.	Blast Transformation,Blastogenesis,Lymphoblast Transformation,Lymphocyte Stimulation,Lymphocyte Transformation,Transformation, Blast,Transformation, Lymphoblast,Transformation, Lymphocyte,Activation, Lymphocyte,Stimulation, Lymphocyte
D008214	Lymphocytes	White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS.	Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D008937	Mitomycins	A group of methylazirinopyrroloindolediones obtained from certain Streptomyces strains. They are very toxic antibiotics used as ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS in some solid tumors. PORFIROMYCIN and MITOMYCIN are the most useful members of the group.
D010835	Phytohemagglutinins	Mucoproteins isolated from the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); some of them are mitogenic to lymphocytes, others agglutinate all or certain types of erythrocytes or lymphocytes. They are used mainly in the study of immune mechanisms and in cell culture.	Kidney Bean Lectin,Kidney Bean Lectins,Lectins, Kidney Bean,Phaseolus vulgaris Lectin,Phaseolus vulgaris Lectins,Phytohemagglutinin,Hemagglutinins, Plant,Lectin, Kidney Bean,Lectin, Phaseolus vulgaris,Lectins, Phaseolus vulgaris,Plant Hemagglutinins
D011506	Proteins	Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein.	Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D002470	Cell Survival	The span of viability of a cell characterized by the capacity to perform certain functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, some form of responsiveness, and adaptability.	Cell Viability,Cell Viabilities,Survival, Cell,Viabilities, Cell,Viability, Cell
D003208	Concanavalin A	A MANNOSE/GLUCOSE binding lectin isolated from the jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis). It is a potent mitogen used to stimulate cell proliferation in lymphocytes, primarily T-lymphocyte, cultures.
D003851	Deoxyribonucleases	Enzymes which catalyze the hydrolases of ester bonds within DNA. EC 3.1.-.	DNAase,DNase,Deoxyribonuclease,Desoxyribonuclease,Desoxyribonucleases,Nucleases, DNA,Acid DNase,Alkaline DNase,DNA Nucleases,DNase, Acid,DNase, Alkaline
D003902	Detergents	Purifying or cleansing agents, usually salts of long-chain aliphatic bases or acids, that exert cleansing (oil-dissolving) and antimicrobial effects through a surface action that depends on possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties.	Cleansing Agents,Detergent Pods,Laundry Detergent Pods,Laundry Pods,Syndet,Synthetic Detergent,Agent, Cleansing,Agents, Cleansing,Cleansing Agent,Detergent,Detergent Pod,Detergent Pod, Laundry,Detergent Pods, Laundry,Detergent, Synthetic,Detergents, Synthetic,Laundry Detergent Pod,Laundry Pod,Pod, Detergent,Pod, Laundry,Pod, Laundry Detergent,Pods, Detergent,Pods, Laundry,Pods, Laundry Detergent,Synthetic Detergents
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA