Immune reactions in polysaccharide media. Polysaccharide-enhanced precipitin reactions with antigens of various sizes.
The influence of the size of the antigen in the polysaccharide-enhanced precipitin reaction was investigated. The experiments were carried out by addition of homologous antigens of different molecular sizes (the monomer, dimer and trimer of serum albumin and the monomer and dimer of immunoglobulin G) to the same preparation of antibody in the absence and presence of dextran. Dextran decreased the solubility of the immune complexes to a larger extent when the antigen size increased. This is in accord with the view that the polysaccharide effect is due to steric exclusion.
D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000941:Antigens; D003911:Dextrans; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007120:Immunochemistry; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011817:Rabbits; D012711:Serum Albumin, Radio-Iodinated; D012995:Solubility
D000941:Antigens; D003911:Dextrans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012711:Serum Albumin, Radio-Iodinated