Separate cytotoxic T lymphocyte subsets recognize the different H-2 specificities.

Using a monolayer adsorption technique, the fine specificity of cytotoxic effector T lymphocytes (CTL) generated against allogeneic or semi-allogeneic H-2 haplotypes was investigated. The results show that: (a) CTL reacting with the private specificity expressed on an H-2.K molecule can be separated from those reacting with the public specificities expressed on the same molecule and (b) the CTL that recognize cross-reacting H-2 determinants (public specificities) can also be separated into several subpopulations. These data support the hypothesis that an allogeneic stimulation induces a large number of independent T cell clones that react with H-2 determinants.