Immune capacity of the chicken bursectomized at 60 hours of incubation: mitogen-induced cell proliferation and immunoglobulin secretion.

Chickens were bursectomized surgically at 60 hr of incubation. Bone marrow cells from the bursectomized (Bx) and control (Co) chickens responded equally well by proliferation to B cell mitogens (dextran sulfate, anti-mu, anti-gamma) when studied at the age of 10 weeks. In contrast, spleen cells of Bx chickens responded significantly less to anti-mu and anti-gamma than did spleen cells of the Co chickens. When observed at the age of 10 days, a significantly depressed secretion of IgM, IgG, and IgA by the Bx cells was observed in vitro. This difference between the Bx and Co chickens had disappeared when studied at the age of 10 weeks.