title: The transient appearance of degenerate antibody early in the course of the immune response.
abstract: The appearance of degenerate antibody-secreting cells early in the course of the immune response was demonstrated. Mice immunized with SRBC had anti-SRBC plaques that were as much as 95% inhibitable by DNP-Ova or DNP-KLH, and mice immunized with DNP-KLH had anti-DNP plaques that were as much as 90% inhibitable by Fl-BGG. In addition, mice immunized with BRBC produced plaques detectable on TNP-SRBC. The data suggest that, early after antigen injection, antibody is produced that can react with both the immunizing antigen and with structurally unrelated antigenic determinants. The incidence of such degenerate antibody-secreting cells is maximal at 3 days after antigen injection and decreases thereafter. It is probable that the degenerate antibody is of very low affinity for the immunizing antigen.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010527:Perissodactyla; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D013997:Time Factors; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D005452:Fluoresceins; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D010047:Ovalbumin