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Human allergic serum has been fractionated by: Chromatography on diethyl amino ethyl cellulose columns. Ultracentrifugation in buffered sucrose gradients. Passive transfer tests with the fractions showed skin sensitizing activity to horse dandruff allergen to be associated with an electrophoretic gammax­globulin component possessing a 7S sedimentation constant. The difficulties encountered in the use of the chromatographic procedure for obtaining potent reagin preparations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A practical immunological method for the assay of clinical biological solutions, such as allergen extracts, in agar gel plates is presented. The method permits assay of individual antigens in antigenic mixtures. Application of the method to the assay of three ‘unknown’ dilutions of each of four grass pollen extracts gave results which were within—9 per cent and +6.7 per cent of the actual values. It is postulated that an immunological assay, since it indicates the antigenic state of the solution, is a more valid index to the probable clinical potency of an allergen extract than the Noon, total nitrogen, or protein nitrogen units currently in use. The quantitative gel plate assay method is quick and simple in application and suited to routine use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micro-immune adherence assay employing direct microscopic observation was used to detect the presence of thymus-derived cell antigenic specificities on guinea-pig lymph node cells, purified peritoneal exudate lymphocytes, and thymocytes using a heterologous burro anti-guinea-pig thyrnocyte serum. A method is described for the direct determination of thymus-derived cell specificity of anti-lymphocyte sera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]