CYTODYNAMICS OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN TWO LINES OF MICE GENETICALLY SELECTED FOR "HIGH" AND "LOW" ANTIBODY SYNTHESIS

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Abstract
Two lines of mice have been separated by selective breeding for the character "agglutinin production to heterologous erythrocytes." Around the 18th generation of selection the two lines could be considered as homozygous for the character investigated. This trait is under the control of a group of additive genes. The interline difference in the production of anti-SE agglutinins was verified for the range of antigen doses from subimmunogenic to maximal. After intravenous immunization with an optimal dose of SE, the duration of the exponential rise in serum antibody was 4–5 days in both lines. At this time most of the interline difference in responsiveness is already expressed. A cytodynamic study carried out in terms of plaque-forming cells (PFC) and rosette-forming cells (RFC) in the spleen during the exponential phase showed that the principal interline difference is found in the doubling time of cells engaged in the immune response.