EXPRESSION OF T19 (WC1) MOLECULES BY OVINE LYMPHOCYTES

Workshop clusters WC1 and WC2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were tested for their reactivity with ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (P BMC). The populations of ovine lymphocytes defined by these mAbs were found to be part of the population of T19+ (WC1+) cells, and the gamma /delta T cell receptor (TCR) (WC2) expressing T cells. The expression of cell surface WC1 antigens following mitogen stimulation of ovine PB MC was studied. Whilst the size of the WC1 populations increased durin g culture with concanavalin A, the changes in the ratio of WC1: gamma/ delta TCR percentages observed suggested either a loss of WC1 molecule s or a selective expansion of WC1- cells.