Correction: mouse spleen cells cultured in homologous serum can indeed make primary antibodies to sheep erythrocytes.
Contrary to what I have reported in a previous article, I now present data that prove that spleen cells from various strains of mice can make primary antibodies to sheep erythrocytes in syngeneic adult serum. The reasons for this dichotomy of data are not clear. The present results indicate that it is possible to obtain an antibody response in the absence of demonstrable mitogens or polyclonal activators, suggesting activating signals only between antigen-specific cells. Primary IgG formation in vitro was demonstrable in cultures with normal mouse serum but not in fetal-calf-serum-substituted cultures. Since antigen has never induced antibody formation in vitro under serum-free conditions, it is now deduced that normal adult serum, in addition to containing suppressor molecules that restrain general lymphocyte proliferation, also contains material absolutely essential for antigen-induced specific cell proliferation to occur. These latter substances work even at very high dilutions.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D001769:Blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA