I. Immunosurveillance and tumorigenesis in BALB/c mice—1. Early reactive state in mesenteric granulomas

The cellular immune response in BALB/c mice mesenteric granulomas (MG) was analysed by the means of functional ultrastructure and the assessment of the presence or absence of asynchronous plasma cells in situ.

Results from this study establish: (a) the sequential events involved in the genesis of the oil-induced granulomas, (b) the weak T-cellular immune response and the almost absence of these cells in mitosis, (c) the presence of asynchronous plasma cells of type II was found in mice Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 11 and they were considered to be plasma cell mutants of temporary type, to indicate the first step of this cell alienation in tumorigenesis, (d) the high ratio of peritoneal macrophages was found and connected with what is known about it in the literature. It was speculated that the supraoptimal presence of peritoneal macrophages could have been responsible for the appearance of plasma cell mutants and (e) four morphological types of macrophages have been found in this animal's oil-induced MG, representing different stages of the monocyte transformation in situ.