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Abstract
Experiments tracing the kinetics of the hyperimmune response in rabbits injected with several lower trypanosomatids (Crithidia fasciculata (Anopheles strain), C. fasciculata (Culex strain, Wallace isolate), C. fasciculata (Culex strain, Nöller isolate), Crithidia sp. from Euryophthalmus davisi, Blastocrithidia leptocoridis, Leptomonas sp. from Dysdercus and L. mirabilis) mixed with Freund’s complete adjuvant revealed a slow increase in homologous agglutinating titre, followed by a lasting plateau titre. Cross-reactions tested at various homologous titres showed that cross-reacting specificity increased as the titre increased. At peak agglutinating titre, sera were at their maximum specificity and remained like that during the lasting plateau period. Precipitins appeared before agglutinins and faded as the homologous agglutinating titres increased. Precipitins, in contrast to agglutinins, were specific even when the agglutinating titres were low and non-specific. By analogy with work done by other investigators on identification of serum fractions associated with non-protozoan antigens in which immune kinetics, globulin generation, or globulin specificity were traced, we suggest that the early-appearing nonspecific agglutinins may be composed of 19S globulins and the late- appearing specific agglutinins and specific precipitins may be composed of 7S globulins.
- Accepted:
- Published Online: