DIFFERENTIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THYMOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN PREPUBERTAL MALE FETAL ALCOHOL EXPOSED RATS

We reported significant differences in the response of thymocytes to m itogen stimulation among fetal alcohol exposed (FAE) and control male rats at postnatal day 45. We did not observe these differences in bloo d lymphocytes at any age tested. Thus, we have begun to test the hypot hesis that the migration of thymocytes into peripheral blood is distur bed in FAE rats. We present preliminary flow cytometric analyses that suggest altered expression of the common leukocyte antigen (CD45RC) by thymocytes in prepubertal male FAE Sprague Dawley rats. This differen ce is not evident in peripheral blood, confirming the hypothesis that FAE disturbs the development of cellular immunity and the ''thymus-blo od loop'' of lymphoid cell trafficking.