Abstract
AFTER exposure to an antigen resulting in a primary immune response, experimental animals and human subjects possess the ability to react specifically and in accelerated fashion to a second exposure to the same antigen. This immunological memory presumably involves specific cells, but it is not known whether it involves generation of an increased number of cells or increased synthetic (or some other) ability in individual cells. Nobody has yet identified a cell which was generated by a previous contact with a specific antigen. Lymphocytes present in the circulation of rats have been shown to carry memory1, and recent work has established that many such cells are thymus-derived and important in many aspects of the immune response2,3. Because they are long lived and constantly re-circulating throughout the peripheral lymphoid organs, thymus-derived cells make ideal candidates for the carriage of memory. Indeed, memory can be diminished by killing cells in this sub-population4.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gowans, J. L., and Uhr, J. W., J. Exp. Med., 124, 1017 (1966).
Miller, J. F. A. P., and Mitchell, G. F., Transplant. Rev., 1, 3 (1969).
Davies, A. J. S., Transplant. Rev., 1, 43 (1969).
Raff, M. C., Nature, 226, 1257 (1970).
Davies, A. J. S., Leuchars, E., Wallis, V., and Koller, P. C., Transplantation, 4, 438 (1966).
Miller, J. J., III, J. Immunol., 92, 673 (1964).
Miller, J. J., III, and Cole, L. J., J. Exp. Med., 126, 109 (1967).
Miller, J. J., III, and Cole, L. J., J. Immunol., 98, 982 (1967).
Bosman, C., and Feldman, J. D., J. Exp. Med., 128, 293 (1968).
Ford, C. F., in Tissue Grafting and Radiation (edit. by Micklem, H. S., and Loutit, J. F.), 197 (Academic Press, New York, 1966).
Miller, J. J., III, and Cole, L. J., J. Immunol., 101, 133 (1968).
Carter, R. L., Davies, A. J. S., Leuchars, E., Wallis, V. J., and Gershon, R. K., in Lymphatic Tissue and Germinal Centers in Immune Response, 143 (Plenum Press, New York, 1969).
Katz, D. H., Paul, W. E., Goidl, E. A., and Benacerraf, B., Science, 170, 462 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
GERSHON, R., KRÜGER, J., NAYSMITH, J. et al. Cellular Basis for Immunologic Memory. Nature 232, 639–641 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/232639b0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/232639b0
This article is cited by
-
Production and Temporary Suppression of Memory Cells during Tolerance Induction in T Cells
Nature New Biology (1972)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.