PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS ): Jimmie L. Flume 



EXPERIMENT TITLE/NUMBER : 



Effect of Space Flight on the in vitro Combining 

 Capacity of Antigen and Antibody 



PROGRAM/MISSION : Discoverer XVII 



CLASSIFICATION : Human, Animal 



DISCIPLINE(S) : Cell biology, Hematology, Radiobiology 



OBJECTIVES : To determine the specific reactivity between antigens and 

 antibodies during spaceflight. 



PROTOCOL : Samples of human gamma globulin and rabbit antiserum specific for 

 human gamma globulin were dried on small squares of filter paper and mounted 

 on both emulsion surfaces of nuclear track plates. The squares were 

 immobilized by means of a thin Lucite plate and the entire package wrapped in 

 black covering. On recovery, materials were eluted from the paper in saline 

 and reactivity was determined by means of passive hemagglutination. 



EQUIPMENT : Millipore filter paper, nuclear emulsion tracking plates, black 

 wrapping, thin Lucite plates, chemical dosimeters, alanine, albumin, silver 

 phosphate glass rods, neutron sensitive film, antimony foil. 



RESULTS : The only effect observed was an increase in reactivity in both 

 antigen and antibody in the flight package. 



CONCLUSIONS : The occurrence of greater reactivity is not understood, but it 

 may be that sub-inhibitory concentrations of cosmic radiation may have a 

 stimulatory effect on protein reactivity. 



PUBLICATIONS: 



19& 



22 



