The antigenicity of sera of man and animals in relation to the preparation of specific precipitating antisera

Abstract

Specific precipitating antisera can be prepared in rabbits by the repeated inoculation of alum-precipitated serum.High titre of sensitivity to the homologous serum is obtained only with a complete loss of specificity.By absorption of the non-specific antiserum with heterologous sera the specificity can be restored.Two types of reactions can be observed in such non-specific antisera: (1) the homologous reaction which occurs with the sera of closely related animals, and (2) the heterologous reaction which is attributed to the presence of antigens which are widespread among mammalian sera.Cross-immunization experiments have demonstrated the presence of specific antigenic material in the serum of indvidual species.A schematic representation of the antigenic arrangement of mammalian sera is suggested.I am indebted to the Colonial Medical Research Committee for their help in this investigation and for the financial help provided by the Colonial Office.I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to Prof. P. A. Buxton, F.R.S., for his help and encouragement and in providing and housing the chimpanzee used in these experiments, to Dr C. H. N. Jackson and Mr W. A. Hilton for their valued help in the field in collecting a number of sera from East Africa, and also to Dr E. Hindle, F.R.S., for supplying me with materials from animals which had died at the Zoological Gardens, London. I wish to record my thanks to Mr E. Pope, for his valued technical assistance throughout these experiments.