Importance of antigen-lymphocyte interaction in establishment of cellular immunity

Abstract For the purpose to observe the effect of direct interaction of antigen with lymphocyte on the establishment of cellular immunity, immunization tests were made on mice with the formol-fixed Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and MH 134 hepatoma cells. The cells were fixed without any severe deformation of their surface antigen by treating with dilute formol solution at a low temperature. The fixed cells had negative surface charge and failed to associate with lymphocytes. They were poor in immunogenic capacity, though they had well-kept surface antigen. By treating with poly- l -lysine their negative surface charge turned to positive without impairing their surface antigen. The cells became to adhere to lymphocytes and acquired an extremely high immunogenic capacity.