QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF CELLULAR AND HUMORAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN BURSECTOMIZED CHICKENS

Publisher Summary The molecular nature of the T cell antigen receptor can be studied in the fowl where B cell depletion is easily achieved through bursectomy. This chapter discusses the quantitative analysis of cellular and humoral immunoglobulin (Ig) in bursectomized chickens. In this analysis, a sandwich-type radioimmunoassay with purified rabbit anti-chicken L chain and horse anti-rabbit IgG was developed. Only chickens judged agammaglobulinemic by the rocket immunoelectrophoresis of serum obtained 6 weeks after hatching were employed in the subsequent experiments. The results demonstrate the profound hypogammaglobulinemic state of some hormonally bursectomized chickens and question the concept of an active production of receptor Ig by bursa-independent T cells.