Studies of the blood‐cerebrospinal fluid barrier to antibodies and other proteins

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Abstract
Antibodies were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rabbits after either active or passive immunization with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin (OA). The ratio of the serum antibody titer to that of the CSF antibody titer varied between 100 and 1600. Passive immunization of rabbits by the intravenous administration of either anti-OA or anti-BSA serum resulted in the appearance of antibody in the CSF within 12 hours. Peak CSF titers were attained within 24 hours. The antibody titers in the CSF and blood subsequently declined in a similar fashion following passive intravenous immunization. This was a reflection of the half-life of the gamma globulin in the host. Passive immunization of rabbits with acute experimental encephalomyelitis resulted in the appearance of a greater amount of antibody in the CSF as compared with passively immunized normal rabbits. It was found that BSA could pass more rapidly from the CSF into the blood than in the reverse direction.