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Dissociation rate measurements were determined on antisera following single and multiple intravenous injections of antigen and after injection of antigen incorporated into adjuvant. It was found that regardless of the amount, route, or number of injections the dissociation characteristics of all sera were similar, reaching the same maximum binding strength within the same time period following immunization. The relative production of 19S and 7S antibody was studied and it was found: (a) insufficient 19S antibody is formed to account for the change in dissociation characteristics that occur following immunization; (b) at the same stage of immunization, 19S and 7S antibody have similar rates of dissociation from antigen, but 19S antibody combines more slowly with antigen than 7S antibody; (c) the haemagglutination technique show's no correlation with binding or precipitin methods when estimates as to the relative amounts of 19S and 7S antibody present in sera are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in vitro assay procedure for evaluating the antibody response to glomerular basement membranes, lung basement membranes and tendon fibrils indicated a sharing of identical or similar antigenic components. At least 70 per cent of the glomerular basement membrane-binding antibodies are absorbable by tendon fibrils, and eluates from such tendon preparations are not nephrotoxic. Within the species employed (man, rabbit and dog) for glomerular basement membrane sources, there appears to be no species specificity as regards the presence of the nephrotoxic component. Immunization of sheep with either canine or rabbit glomerular basement membrane leads to the elaboration of a haemagglutinin for the respective species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]