One Third of Murine Splenic T Cells Are Cytotoxic Precursors Induced to Grow by Leucoagglutinin and TCGF

The frequency of leucoagglutinin (LA)-inducible, TCGF-reactive T cells has bcen determined using a sensitive limiting-dilution assay. The f'rcqucncy of cells proliferating in TCGF-CM was 1 in 3. and the Frequency of lectin-dependent cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTL-p) was 1 in 3–4. By analysing individual clonal cultures for proliferation and cytotoxic potential, a selective induction nf CTL-p was detected, as all prolifcrating clones were found to mediate lectin-dependent cytotoxicity.