Contact cooperation in stimulated lymphocytes : 2, Electrophysiological investigations on intercellular communication

Abstract

Intercellular communication-as defined by the flow of ions between cells through low-resistance junctions-exists in agglutinates of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. It is shown that this communication starts within minutes after the addition of the stimulant, at the same time as other functions of the lymphocyte membrane are altered. In contrast, neither stimulation nor intercellular communication can be detected under conditions where agglutination was established by a lymphocyte-agglutinating anti-serum, indicating that communication may be closely correlated with the process of stimulation.