Protein nutrition and lymphocyte responsiveness to phytomitogens in the chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera)

Abstract

The in vitro functional responses of spleen and bone marrow lymphocytes of chinchillas kept on diets ranging from 11.2 to 24.5% crude protein were evaluated using two plant mitogens, phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A. Lowered nutritive status was accompanied by general improvement of responsiveness of bone marrow lymphocytes and an impairment of spleen lymphocytes. The inverse relationship between the responses of cells from these two organs suggested that a redistribution of mitogen-sensitive cells from spleen to bone marrow may occur after moderate but prolonged nutritional stress.