Some Observations on the Relative Importance of the Reticulo-Endothelial Tissues and Circulating Antibody in Immunity

Abstract

Summary: These experiments show that in regard to immunity to foreign protein: Immunity to them rests in the tissues, in their capacity of dealing with the protein in question.The circulating antibody, even if it could saturate the inoculated antigen before being taken up by the tissues, does not appear to be able to aid the tissues appreciably in dealing with the dose inoculated.In incompletely immunised animals (a) in the period before they are fully hypersensitive the saturation of the antigen before inoculation is not protective but can provoke shock when the non-saturated antigen fails to do so; (b) when the animal is fully hypersensitive the saturation of the antigen with the specific antibody does not aid the tissues in dealing with the inoculum and obviate the symptoms of shock.In more highly immune animals saturation of the homologous antigen with specific antibody does not aid the tissues in dealing with it and obviate shock.In really immune animals the tissues are capable of dealing with the homologous antigen perfectly and there is no reaction when the antigen is inoculated, whether it is saturated with the antibody or not.