MECHANISM OF ANTIBODY FORMATION 63 



a greater degree of resistance of the antigenic molecule to the catabolic 

 actions of the host enzymes. 



The interrelationship of the various component parts of the complex 

 reaction mechanism of antibody formation may, perhaps, be presented 

 in the following scheme : 



Cell -\- antigen ^ cell-antigen complex 



cell-antigen 

 Globulin factors ^= — — i cell-antigen-antibody complex 



cell-antigen -\- antibody 

 i 



i 



cell -|- component amino acids 



units of 

 antigen 



normal proteins 



In the synthesis of antibody globulin, antigen functions as a catalyst 

 when present in trace amounts. When present in large amounts it 

 also functions as a reactant in a stoichiometrical reaction with antibody 

 and thereby exercising a determinant role in regulating the amount of 

 antibody procurable in the host. The above formulations would seem 

 to be amply supported by the following observations. 



According to Hamburger (1902), a precipitin reaction for egg-white 

 appeared in the serum of rabbits two hours after subcutaneous injec- 

 tion, reached a maximum after 24 hours, persisted until the third 

 day and had disappeared on the fourth day. Ramon (1928) re- 

 ported that following the immunization of horses with the filtrates of 

 formolized broth cultures of pest bacillus there was produced flocculat- 

 ing antibody within from six to eight hours after the injection. The 

 serum obtained 36 hours after the injection contained a four-fold 

 greater amount of antibody. Similar results were obtained in experi- 

 ments with six other horses. The above cited observations may be 

 looked upon as exceptional or unusual cases; however, they indicate the 

 speed with which the immune mechanism may be set in operation 

 following the introduction of antigens into a host. 



of the toxin for nerve tissues (see further Friedmann, 1947; Wilson and Miles, 1946). 

 That anti-virus antibodies enter into combinations with tissue cells has been shown 

 by Sabin (1935) and Andrews (1928). 



