In Vivo Effects of Pokeweed Mitogen on Mouse Spleen Cells 1

Summary The intravenous injection of PWM to mice produced in vivo changes in the spleen similar to those produced by intravenous injection of PHA. These changes were a marked increase in the weight of the spleen, along with an increase in the number of nucleated cells, lymphoblasts, and mitotic figures. In addition, PWM also produced a marked increase in the total number of plasma cells. However, these cells did not appear in the peripheral blood, and the effect of PWM on it was limited to a transient leukopenia. The technical assistance of Mrs. Barbara Kartzinel is gratefully acknowledged.