A technique developed for separating lymphocytes from freshly drawn whole blood was found to work well on rabbit's blood obtained by cardiac puncture. The separated lymphocytes showed typical amoeboid motions 8 hours later when observed under a phase microscope. Samples of blood irradiated in vitro and receiving a dose of 1000 roentgens, showed after 6 hours the same viability as the controls. In each sample 25 lymphocytes were observed, almost all showing amoeboid motions. Cell counts showed that lymphocytes were not lost by rapid lyses or by being phagocytized during irradiation. These observations are offered against hypotheses which explain the rapid decrease of lymphocyte count after total body radiation on the basis of a direct lethal effect of the rad inaction on mature lymphocytes.
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