The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses of murine lymphocytes exposed to lead in vivo and in vitro were investigated. In vivo Pb was administered via the drinking water (0 to 10 mM) for 1 to 10 weeks. In vivo exposure of the mice to Pb did not alter significantly their plaque-forming cell response to sheep erythrocytes; however, their susceptibility to Listeria infection was reduced significantly with Pb dosages of greater than 0.4 mM. Although the in vivo plaque-forming cell responses did not appear to be altered, in vitro assessment of the reactivity of these in vivo Pb-exposed lymphocytes indicated that intermediate doses enhanced, but a high dose (10 mM) was suppressive. The 10 mM in vivo Pb dose suppressed the in vitro plaque-forming cell response, the mixed-lymphocyte culture response, and lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation, but it did not affect concanavalin A- or phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation. Interestingly, in vitro Pb exposure (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) of murine spleen cells caused an enhancement of most activities even though these in vitro concentrations of Pb were slightly above the in vivo concentrations. Direct in vitro Pb effects on the lymphocytes could be measured, and Pb consistently enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immunity.