Kinetics of antibody responses in hens from chicken lines divergently selected for response to sheep red blood cells.
Changes in antibody titers to SRBC were monitored for 180 d after inoculation in hens from two lines divergently selected for 24 generations for high (HAS) or low (LAS) antibody response to SRBC. The HAS hens not only had a higher peak of antibody response (12.9 vs 9.4), but also showed greater persistence in maintaining antibody levels than LAS hens. As a result, HAS hens exhibited higher antibody titers for the 180-d assay period than LAS hens. Antibodies to SRBC were detected in all day-old chicks hatched from HAS eggs collected 10 to 14 d after inoculation as well as 92 to 119 d after inoculation. Only a portion (20 to 75%) of progeny for LAS hens had detectable levels of antibody during the same periods. Among responders, antibody titers were higher for HAS than for LAS progeny. There was a positive correlation among antibody titers taken at different times after the inoculation with SRBC.
Yang
N
N
Animal and Poultry Sciences Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061-0306, USA.
Dunnington
E A
EA
Siegel
P B
PB
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012756:Sheep
D000906:Antibodies