PRESENTATION OF SOLUBLE AND BACTERIAL-ANTIGENS BY MILK-DERIVED CELLS TO UNPRIMED BOVINE T-CELLS IN-VITRO

The ability of cells isolated from bovine milk and peripheral blood to present soluble protein and particulate bacterial antigens to periphe ral blood T lymphocytes was compared using a culture system which cons istently supports antigen-specific, primary, proliferative responses. The present study shows that cells from blood and from milk can presen t antigen to unprimed T cells. Major histocompatibility complex class II restriction of the responses was demonstrated by abrogation of prol iferation by the addition of anti-bovine class II monoclonal antibody to cultures. Although cells derived from blood or milk were shown to b e capable of presenting antigen to T cells, differences in optimal cul ture conditions and kinetics of the resulting response were observed.