Serial Evaluation of Absolute Spleen Cell Numbers in Lewis Lung Tumor-Bearing Mice

Abstract

Subcutaneous (sc) transposition of the spleen followed by fine needle biopsies (FNB) from the organ allows the evaluation of relative numbers of splenic cells in Lewis lung tumor-bearing mice. Absolute cell numbers (N) can be calculated when the aspirated cells are weighed on a precision balance (m) and counted (c) after resuspension in a defined volume (v): N = C X Vim X M. The weight from the whole spleen (M) is derived from a calibration curve. Splenic nucleated cells and their subsets-as determined by the use of monoclonal antibodies-can thus probably be evaluated with a degree of accuracy which was not possible before. Shifts of splenic cells from and to the organ can be monitored.