INFLUENCE OF ROUTE AND DOSE OF ANTIGEN ON MIGRATION-INHIBITION AND PLAQUE-FORMING CELL RESPONSES TO SHEEP ERYTHROCYTES IN LIZARD, CALOTES-VERSICOLOR

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (2) , 241-246
Abstract
The influence of route of administration and dose of antigen on the generation of humoral and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses was studied in the lizard, C. versicolor. Immunization (i.m.) was more suitable for the induction of plaque-forming cell (PFC) and migration inhibition (MI) responses to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) than the i.p. route. The i.m. route favored the development of quicker PFC and MI responses. The latter was sustained up to 1 mo. after immunization. With the i.p. route of immunization, the peak PFC and MI responses appeared slowly and were followed by a sudden decline. An inverse relationship between PFC and MI functions was noted. The maximum level of MI was obtained with 104 SRBC; the PFC response was greater with the higher doses of antigen. Low dose of antigen induced a strong and quick MI response with concomitant postponement of the PFC response. Incorporation of SRBC into Freund''s complete adjuvant did not influence the MI level. After an injection of a supra-optimal dose of SRBC, the MI level was very low at a time when the PFC response was at its maximum and the degree of MI rose again after the decline in PFC number. The induction of antibody synthesis needs a higher threshold level of antigen for its full expression, in contrast to the minimal antigen dose required for MI response to SRBC in lizards.