Differences between lymphocytes revealed by membrane fluorescent probes

: Interaction of fluorescent probes of 3-methoxybenzanthrone (MBA), 4-dimethylaminochalcone (DMC), and of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) with suspensions of rat thymocytes and Peyer's patches lymphocytes has been investigated. By means of the MBA, shown earlier to be a maker of B- and T-lymphocytes, it was established that thymus lymphocytes populations consisted mainly of T-cells (95 +/- 3%), and those of Peyer's patch lymphocytes of B-cells (68 +/- 9%). Definition of parameters of binding and fluorescence of ANS and DMC has shown different physical structure of the thymus and Peyer's patch lymphocyte membranes, resp. This is suggested by differences in binding constant of ANS, and in anisotropy of fluorescence of DMC. The difference in the number of binding sites gives evidence in favour of the fact that Peyer's lymphocytes have a greater membrane mass than thymocytes. T- and B-lymphocyte cells are likely to vary in their own structure and in the number of their membranes.