STUDIES ON THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF COLD ENVIRONMENT, IMMUNITY AND RESISTANCE TO INFECTION I. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ON THE IMMUNE RESPONSE

摘要

Immunochemical studies have been conducted on sera from rabbits to investigate the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the immune response under conditions of hypothermia. Rabbits have been subjected to lowered environ-mental temperature (4° C), shaved of their pelage and immunized with various protein antigens. Serum samples obtained from varying periods during each of the studies via cardiac puncture have been qualitatively assayed for antibody response by Ouchterlony gel diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, starch gel electrophoresis and paper electrophoresis. Quantitative analyses have included ring precipitin titrations, quantitative gel diffusion analysis and micro-quantitative precipitin analysis. In all of the studies the responses of the cold exposed animals have been compared with non-cold exposed animals treated .in an identical manner except for maintenance at the lower environmental temperature.