Mechanisms of the Host Response in the Eye

Abstract

Anterior ocular changes following immunization to bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been characterized in a previous article.¹ The possibility that such morphologic changes are related to specific characteristics of the immunizing antigen as well as effects of host response must be considered. The studies to be described will attempt to evaluate variations in morphologic disease as related to differences in molecular size, relative molecular antigenicity, and species response. Materials and Methods Immunizing Antigens. —These have been subdivided into three groups, characterized by difference in molecular weight. These are small: sulfanilic acid (Fisher Scientific Co.), mol wt 173; medium: bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Nutritional Biochemical Co.), mol wt 55,000; BSA:sulfanilic acid,† mol wt >55,000; egg albumin (EA), recrystallized 2 × (Nutritional Biochemical Co.), mol wt 45,000; human serum albumin (HSA) (Cutter Laboratories), mol wt 60,000; dextran 10 (Pharmacia), mol wt 10,000; and dextran (Nutritional Biochemical Co.), approximate mol wt 90,000;