Features of Antibody Formation in Neonatally Thymectomized Mice

Abstract

THE production of antibody to some antigens is suppressed in neonatally thymectomized mice^1–3. A dissociation of immunological reactivity in such mice has been established^4,5. The primary response is inhibited to sheep erythrocytes but is retained to live influenza virus and typhoid Vi-antigen. Re-immunization of neonatally thymectomized mice restored the normal formation of antibody to sheep erythrocytes^4,5. In thymectomized mice, in which immunological reactivity has been recovered by re-immunization, the regional lymphatic nodes restore their normal histological patterns. Zinzar⁶ has demonstrated that neonatally thymectomized mice can also produce antibody to sheep erythrocytes after primary immunization. In this case, antibody production begins later, but continues for a longer time than is normal. Antibody titres can be even higher than in normal animals. Sinclair⁷ has obtained very similar results, but in his experiments the antibodies to sheep erythrocytes in thymectomized mice never reached the titres of normal mice.