The present invention relates to a method of culturing
peripheral lymphoid organ cells on a three-dimensional scaffolding which is covered or surrounded with culture medium, under conditions effective to generate and maintain mature and functional lymphoid cells, where the three-dimensional scaffolding allows cells in the culture medium to have
cell to
cell contact in three dimensions. The present invention also provides methods of screening for vaccine candidates for
efficacy in eliciting an immune response, identifying genes or proteins which are related to
peripheral lymphoid organ
cell formation or function, screening for drugs effecting
peripheral lymphoid organ
cell maturation, treating a patient for a
disease condition using
antigen-specific lymphoid cells, and effecting
gene expression of peripheral lymphoid organ cells.