Antigens of Mouse Spleen Cells: Immunochemical Analysis with Heterologous Rabbit Antisera.

Rabbit antisera to mouse spleen cells and to thymocytes have been analysed by microcomplement fixation and double gel diffusion. The antisera fixed complement more efficiently with the native particulate fraction than with the soluble fraction of mouse spleen cells. Structural antigens could be solubilized partly with hypertonic salt solutions. The solubilization of structural antigens could be shown by a decrease of the antigenic activity of the particulate fraction after the extraction and a concomitant appearance of the antigenic activity in the solubilized fractions. The solubilized fractions were able to induce antibodies to structural antigens, but antibodies to cell sap antigens were also induced to a lesser extent. No gel precipitation could be observed between the tested antisera and the solubilized fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]