Liver Localizing Antibodies—The Limited Contribution of Ag-Ab Complexes

Abstract

The contribution of antigen-antibody complexes in the liver localization of purified anti-rat-liver antibodies was studied by the use of Sephadex G-200 and the paired label technique and found to be unimportant. The 7 S antibody fraction eluted from the Sephadex column (Peak II) which is free of complexes, localized in the liver to a high extent, indicating the liver localization of anti-liver serum is due to specific antibody and not to nonspecific uptake of antigen-antibody complexes. The contribution of anti-rat-plasma antibody present in the anti-liver serum (which forms complexes upon injection into assay rats) is negligible since it was largely eliminated during the purification process as shown by the paired label experiments. The macroglobulin antibody may participate also in the liver localization of the purified anti-liver antibody preparation. The soluble complexes formed by the anti-liver globulin and a large excess of soluble antigens from liver connective tissue, localized poorly in the liver and was eliminated much more rapidly than the localizing antibody.