Systematic design of mouse Vh gene family-specific oligonucleotides.

Kabat's database has often been used to design mouse Vh gene-specific 5' primers. The emphasis was mostly on constructing a universal (degenerate) 5' primer or 5' primer set, which would be able to match every mouse Vh gene. We were interested in finding oligonucleotides that could be used as primers or probes that can discriminate between the different Vh gene families.

RT7-defined alloantigens in rats are part of the leucocyte common antigen family.

Haemopoietic cells carry a variety of cell-surface molecules, some of which are known to have allotypic variation. In rats, the RT7 alloantigenic system has been well documented using alloantisera. We have produced the first mouse hybridoma cell line secreting an antibody, HIS41, which binds to leucocytes of rat strains carrying the RT7.

[Immunomapping in localized bullous pemphigoid].

A 70-year-old Caucasian patient is described, who presented with a bullous dermatosis on an amputation stump. The bullous lesions had developed after practice with a Kondylen-Bettung-Münster (KBM) prosthesis. The lesions disappeared completely after prednisone therapy and replacement of the prosthesis with a Thomas splint.

Germinal centers develop oligoclonally.

As part of our studies into the role of germinal centers, we investigated whether each de novo generated germinal center (GC) develops from one single GC precursor cell (GCPC, monoclonal development), a few GCPC (oligoclonal development) or from many GCPC (polyclonal development). Thus, lethally (9 Gy) X-irradiated AO (RT1u) rats were reconstituted with 10(8) thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) containing mixtures of AO and AO X BN cells in various ratios. The AO TDL were tolerant for AO X BN cells by using TDL from AO----(AO X BN)F1 (RT1u/n) X-irradiation bone marrow chimeras.

Plasma cells and their precursors. IV. Cross-reacting and non-cross-reacting, sheep erythrocyte lysing IgG antibody clones induced in rabbits immunized with rat- and chicken-erythrocytes.

Rabbits were i.v. immunized with rat erythrocytes or chicken erythrocytes.

Plasma cells and their precursors. III. Late phases of anti-bovine serum albumin IgG antibody responses depend upon newly produced IgG B-memory cells.

The sequential appearance of the IgG antibody clones constituting the primary, secondary or tertiary response to BSA was studied in individual rabbits by relating antibody titers, antibody affinities, and clonal spectra obtained by IEF. The results showed that after a single i.v.

Identification and localization of enzymes of the fumarate reductase and nitrate respiration systems of escherichia coli by crossed immunoelectrophoresis.

Crossed immunoelectrophoresis was used to analyze the components of membrane vesicles of anaerobically grown Escherichia coli. The number of precipitation lines in the crossed immunoelectrophoresis patterns of membrane vesicles isolated from E. coli grown anaerobically on glucose plus nitrate and on glycerol plus fumarate were 83 and 70, respectively.

Plasma cells and their precursors. II. Kinetics of B-memory cell production in rabbits.

Rabbits were irradiated with 4.5 Gy in order to eliminate completely preexisting antibody-forming cell precursors. Sheep red blood cells were administered 24 h or 8 days after irradiation in order to induce the production of IgG B-memory AFCP.

Plasma cells and their precursors. I. Preexistent antibody-forming cell precursors dominate the anti-sheep red blood cell and anti-human gamma globulin IgG antibody response.

Rabbits were immunized by a single i.v. injection of SRBC or HGG and were bled serially.

Rabbit IgM: its isolation in high yield by a convenient procedure using serum from trypanosome-infected animals.

Rabbit sera contain little IgM. This is a major obstacle for its isolation. However, levels of IgM up to 10 mg/ml are found in rabbits infected with living trypanosomes.