Ontogeny of the Immune Response

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Abstract
Summary: The ontogeny of immunoglobulin development was demonstrated in immunologically virgin piglets; the first antibody formed, as a true primary response to the specific antigenic stimulus, was 19S γG (γ1)-immunoglobulin distinct from so-called β2M (γM)-macroglobulin. The 19S γG (γ1)-immunoglobulin appeared antigenically identical to the 7S γG (γ2)-immunoglobulin which developed later in the piglet and was present in normal sow serum. These results indicate that immunoglobulin synthesis was initiated by specific antigenic stimuli and that there was sequential development of 19S γG (γ1) to 7S γG (γ2)-immunoglobulin. It is suggested that antigen is the sole inducer of specific antibody by de novo synthesis of immunoglobulins including early 19S γG (γ1) and late 7S γG (γ2). These results do not support the concept, suggested in Jerne's natural selection hypothesis, that pre-existing antibody is necessary for antibody formation. Both early true primary 19S γG (γ1) and early secondary 19S γG (γ1)-immunoglobulins were identical but distinct from so-called β2M-macroglobulin and antigenically identical to 7S γG (γ2)-immunoglobulins of late true primary and secondary responses.

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