title: Priority of the anti-idiotypic response after antigen administration: artefact or intriguing network mechanism?
abstract: Immunization triggers at least two speck responses measurable at cellular and humoral levels: the antigen-driven proliferation of idiotype-bearing (idt+) cells; and an autochthonous anti-idt response'. As the expansion of the idt* clone(s) is presumed to provide the activating stimulus for the complementary response, one expects the proliferation of anti-idt clones to follow the idt response at an interval equivalent to the time required for ~pmphocyte activation. However, there have been several reports of an autochthonous anti-idt response preceding the expansion of antigen-driven idt' clone(s). In this brief commentary, we examine these reports and offer some suggestions that may resolve this apparent paradox.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerny
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kelsoe