Immunologie Van de Karper
Description:... For several reasons carp (Cyprinus carpio) was used in the second part of this study. First the plaque assay of Jerne had to be modified for carp in order to monitor the humoral immune response at the level of antibody forming cells (appendix II). Serum of bream (Abramis brama) turned out to be a more reliable complement source than allogeneic carp serum. Using the plaque assay, the kinetics of the anti-SRBC response has been studied (appendix III) . The kidney (pro- and mesonephros) appeared to be a major antibody producing organ in carp. Spleen accounted only for 5% of total PFC numbers. At high temperatures (20-24°C) carp are able to mount clear-cut primary and secondary responses. At lower temperatures (10-18°C) the peak of the primary response was delayed, but the magnitude of the response remained the same. The temperature-peak day relationship indicated that there are at least 2 steps in the primary immune response of carp differing in temperature sensitivity. The anamnestic character of the secondary response was gradually lost at lower temperatures. Therefore the development of immunological memory is probably also temperature dependent. In appendix IV the effect of antigen dose and route of administration on the development of immunological memory was studied. Immunization with low antigen doses along the intramuscular route was optimal for the formation of immunological memory. The capacity to mount an enhanced secondary response was specific for the priming antigen and lasted for at least 10 months.
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