Gel Diffusion Studies of Cross Reacting Antibody

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Abstract
Summary: The reaction of partial identity provides an opportunity to study simultaneously the properties of precipitates formed by homologous antigen combined with strictly specific antibody alone, by heterologous antigen combined with cross reacting antibody alone, and by homologous antigen combined with both forms of antibody. Following removal of soluble material from the agar, the relative solubilities of the component part of the pattern may be examined by permitting excess antigen to diffuse from the surface of the plate. With several rabbit sera studied, the product of the heterologous reaction is soluble in an excess of heterologous antigen. Cross reacting antibody from different rabbit antisera produce heterologous precipitates that may vary from rapid solubility to insolubility in an excess of homologous antigen. With some antisera, the homologous precipitate appears to dissolve uniformly, though rather slowly, in excess homologous antigen; in others, the zone is composed of mingled precipitates that vary as to the ease of reversal under similar circumstances. It is suggested that antibody avidity and perhaps other factors may modify the composition, location and form of zones produced by superficially identical antisera.

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