Lymphocyte Deficiency Induced by Sublethal Irradiation in Xenopus
- 1Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology and of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232;
- 2Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235;
- 3Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642
- ↵4Correspondence: louise.rollins-smith{at}vanderbilt.edu
Abstract
In many studies of diseases affecting amphibians, it is important to determine to what extent lymphocyte-mediated defenses are involved. For example, in studies of the nature of the immune response of Xenopus laevis to the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, it was essential to determine if mucosal antimicrobial peptides or lymphocyte-mediated immunity was most important for resistance to this skin pathogen. In this protocol, we describe a method for sublethal irradiation to reduce lymphocyte numbers. Briefly, X. laevis adults or tadpoles are exposed to 9 Gy (900 rads) of irradiation applied by exposure to a cesium source or gamma irradiator to reduce lymphocyte populations in the spleen.
Footnotes
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From the Xenopus collection, edited by Hazel L. Sive.
