Genetic analysis of the humoral immune response of White Leghorn chicks.
Total agglutinin antibody titers, 2-mercapto ethanol (2-ME) sensitive and 2-ME resistant antibody titers were determined in 598 White Leghorn chicks after intramuscular injection with sheep red blood cells. Antibody titers were determined on day 0 and on days 3, 7, 10, 13 postinjection. Mean total tier (5.2, log2 value) was highest on day 7. Females showed a significantly higher response to injection with sheep red blood cells than males. Also, significant hatch effects were noted. Heritability estimates generally varied from 0 to .5 for all parameters. In the earlier stages of the immune response the sire estimate of heritability for total and 2-ME sensitive antibody titer was higher than the dam estimate. Additive genetic correlations between 2-ME sensitive (days 3 to 13) and resistant (days 7 to 13) antibody titers were negative, varying from -.30 to -.93. The response to selection for total antibody titer is, therefore, not easily predicted.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male