The thymus determines the spectrum of the receptor specificities of differentiating T cells for self-H-2; however, the phenotypic expression of T cell's specificity for self plus virus is determined predominantly by the H-2 type of the antigen presenting cells of the peripheral lymphoreticular system. Furthermore, virus specific helper T cells are essential for the generation of virus-specific cytotoxic T cells. For cooperation between mature T cells and other lymphocytes to be functional in chimeras, thymic epithelial cells and lymphohemopoietic stem cells must share the I region; killer T-cell generation also requires in addition compatibility for at least one K or D region. These conclusions derive from the following experiments: A leads to (A X B)F1 chimeric lymphocytes do produce virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell activity for infected A but not for infected B cells; when sensitized in an acutely irradiated and infected recipient (A X B)F1 these chimeric lymphocytes respond to both infected A and B. Therefore the predominantly immunogenically infected cells of chimeras the radiosensitive and by donor stem cells replaced lymphoreticular cells. In this adoptive priming model (KAIA/DB leads to KAIA/DC) chimeric lymphocytes could be sensitized in irradiated and infected F1 against KA and DC but not against infected DB targets. In contrast KBIB/DA leads to KCIC/DA chimeras' lymphocytes could not be sensitized at all in appropriately irradiated and infected F1 recipients. Thus these latter chimeras probably lack functional I-specific T helper cells that are essential for the generation of T killer cells against infected D compatible targets. If T cells learn in the thymus to recognize H-21 or K, D markers that are not at least partially carried themselves in other cells of the lymphoreticular system immunological interactions will be impossible and this paradox situation results in phenotypic immune incompetence in vivo.

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