Chicken immunoglobulin resembling A.

Abstract The immunoglobulin classes recognized in the chicken are γG and γM. Because of an interest in this laboratory in the mechanisms of local mucosal immunity and the possible experimental manipulations of chicken central lymphoid tissue, it was felt that a redefinition of chicken immunoglobulins, particularly with reference to a possible γA class, should be undertaken before a satisfactory exploration of mucosal immunity in the chicken could occur. Accordingly, we immunized a rabbit against chicken γG Fab fragments prepared according to the methods of Tenenhouse and Deutsch (1). We further prepared antisera in goats to chicken γM and γG heavy chains as described previously (2). The anti-chicken γG was monospecific for the γ chain, and did not react with Fab fragments. The anti-γM antiserum was rendered monospecific by absorption with newly hatched chicken serum. Both antisera gave single precipitin arcs in immunodiffusion experiments against normal chicken serum.