Abstract
T and B lymphocytes were examined in cord blood, peripheral blood of the newborn infants and the healthy adults;using the E-rosette forming cell, EAC-rosette forming cell and active E-rosette forming cell assays. Subjects tested were 20 cord blood, 57 healthy newborn infants(1 day through 6 day old)and 32 healthy adults as controls. In cord blood the percentage of E-rosette forming cells and active E-rosette forming cells against whole lymphocytes were significantly lower than those of adults, while the percentage of EAC-rosette fcrming cells was slightly lower(but not significantly)than that of adults. However, in newborn infants, the percentage of E-rosette forming cells, active E-rosette forming cells and EAC-rosette forming cells showed no significant difference from those of adults, throughout the neonatal period. As far as the absolute numbers of each subpopulations of lymphocyte was concerned, in cord blood E-rosette forming cells, active E-rosette forming cells and EAC-rosette forming cells were all higher in number than those of adults. While in newborn infants E-rosette forming cells, EAC-rosette forming cells and active E-rosette forming Cells were all highest among the three groups. No correlationship betwee the levels of birilubin in serum and each subpopulations of lymphocyte in the newborn infants was observed.
