The virogenic status of cultured continuous simian lymphoid cells and their immunophenotypical characteristics

: Immunophenotyping of cultured continuous simian lymphoid cultures using a panel containing monoclonal antibodies to human B- and T-cell antigens has been carried out, by employing enzyme immunoassay and flow cytofluorometry. The test cultures showed a wide variety of cells containing B- and T-cell antigens with their varying expression. The cultures were also found to comprise lymphoblasts simultaneously containing B- and T-cell markers. Simian lymphotropic viruses, such as EBV-like and STLV-1 retrovirus, detected apart or simultaneously, have been verified by polymerase chain reaction. Whether there is a possible relationship between the type of cells in the culture and the type of their replicating virus(es) is discussed in the paper.