Quantitative Aspects of the Migration Inhibition Reaction

Abstract

The macrophage migration inhibition reaction is a well-known in vitro assay for delayed hypersensitivity; sensitized lymphocytes, in the presence of specific antigen, inhibit the migration of macrophages out of capillary tubes in short-term culture. Although the migration area is a function of the amount of antigen in the system, the number of migrating cells was found to be fairly constant and independent of antigen dose. Furthermore, over a fairly wide range of values, the number of cells present initially in the capillary tubes had little effect on either the area of migration or the number of migrating cells. These observations are consistent with the notion that the migration inhibition reaction is a two-stage process. In the first stage, there is a uniform release of cells from capillary tubes which is not dependent upon the presence or absence of MIF, but rather upon physical forces in the test system. The second stage, which depends upon intrinsic properties of macrophage mobility, is under the control of MIF.