STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR IMMUNOGLOBULIN AGGREGATES TO LOCALIZE IN GERMINAL CENTERS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (4) , 781-786
Abstract
The capacity of non-heat-aggregated monoclonal human immunoglobulins [Ig] of different classes, to localize in murine splenic germinal centers within 24 h of i.v. injection, was investigated. At least trimerization of polyclonal IgG must occur before any germinal center trapping is manifest. Studies of complement fixation by these IgG preparations in vitro, together with studies of the germinal center trapping of various monoclonal Ig, indicated that the sole structural requirement for germinal center localization of Ig aggregates was the ability to fix complement [C]. Ig aggregates are probably transported to germinal centers via membrane C3 receptors of mobile cells, and then are released with loss of C to become fixed to dendritic macrophages by a separate mechanism.