The Development of Specific Antibody Producing Cells in the Spleen of Rabbits During the Primary and Secondary Immune Response

Abstract

Until recently, no suitable method was available to detect specific antibody producing cells in the lymphoid tissues, except for cells producing antibodies against the antigen horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The major disadvantage of HRP is that it is a weak antigen and has to be administered together with a strong adjuvant such as aluminum phosphate¹ or Freund’s complete adjuvant₂. An intravenous injection e.g., in order to study the immune response in the spleen could not be given. Moreover, the antigen HRP when adsorbed to aluminum phosphate or emulsified in Freund’s complete adjuvant may be released from the injection site only slowly. In that case it is difficult to determine, at what time interval after injection the primary immune response finishes and the secondary immune response starts. Recently we introduced a new approach for the detection of specific antibody producing cells in lymphoid tissues. An antigen-HRP conjugate or an antigen-alkanline phosphatase (AP) conjugate was used for detection of cells containing specific antibodies in their cytoplasm^3–11. The aim of the present contribution was to review our recent findings on the development of specific antibody producing cells during the primary and secondary immune response in the spleen. Specific antibody producing cells were found in various compartments of the white pulp of the spleen.