Cellular Proliferation in Relation to Antibody Synthesis.

Abstract

A technical approach for the study of the kinetics of antibody producing cells is possible by combination of auto radiography and the fluorescent antibody technic. Results show that: (1) Almost all antibody-containing cells present by day 4 of a secondary response are newly formed cells arising from mitotic division of a precursor sometime after antigenic stimulation; (2) Most plasma cells do not arise by direct, nonmitotic differentiation from lymphocytes; and (3) Function-ally differentiated antibody-containing cells can divide.