Reaction of lymphoid tissue during compensatory regeneration of the salivary glands in mice

After unilateral removal or burns of a single submaxillary salivary gland and also after amputation of the lower incisors in CBA mice the ability of the spleen cells to form antibodies and to take part in the graft versus host reaction was studied and the number of hematopoietic stem cells was counted by the splenic colonies method. Each of the experimental procedures on the salivary glands was shown to be accompanied by increased migration of stem cells, and the ability of the lymphocytes to induce a graft versus host reaction was increased. The ability of splenic lymphocytes to react to an additional antigenic stimulus is enhanced by amputation of the lower incisors, which was followed by enlargement of the salivary glands, and is sharply reduced by removal or burns of the submaxillary salivary gland, neither of which induces hypertrophy of the salivary glands.