title: Idiotypic-anti-idiotypic regulation of antibody synthesis in rabbits.
abstract: Anti-ribonuclease antibodies (Ab1) of one rabbit were used to prepare in two other rabbits anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab2) against them. Anti-idiotypic antibodies (Ab3) were prepared against Ab2 of one rabbit in two other rabbits that had the same phenotype as the former three for the allotypic a and b systems. After a rest period of 4 months, the latter two rabbits were immunized against ribonuclease. The antibodies produced (Ab1') crossreacted with the two anti-idiotypic sera (Ab2) against Ab1, showing an idiotypic similarity between anti-ribonuclease Ab1' and anti-ribonuclease Ab1. No such crossreaction was observed between the anti-idiotypic sera (Ab2) against Ab1 and any of the 12 unrelated antisera against ribonuclease that were tested. These results suggest (i) that rabbits, at least with the same allotypes, possess a closely related idiotypic repertoire; and (ii) that the immune system is a network of variable (V)-domains.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology*; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012260:Ribonucleases
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