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THE EFFECT OF THYMECTOMY ON RESPONSE TO VARIOUS ANTIGENS OF A MARSUPIAL SETONIX BRACHYURUS (QUOKKA)
Author(s) -
Stanley NF,
Yadav M,
Waring H,
Eadie Margaret
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1972.62
Subject(s) - thymectomy , biology , antibody response , antibody , antigen , immune system , pouch , adjuvant , physiology , andrology , immunology , anatomy , medicine , myasthenia gravis
Summary The responses of intact, superficially and totally thymectomized (quokkas to sheep red blood cells. Salmonella adelaide flagella and øχ174 bacteriophage were examined, Natural antibody to sheep rod blood cells and S. adelaide was detected in juveniles and adults but not in pouch young. Natural antibody to øχ174 phage was not observed. Intact quokka pouch young showed some variation in the age at which capacity to respond to sheep red blodd cells was attained. The antibody response of intact and thymectomized quokkas to S. adelaide flagella and øχ14′ phage was studied in three age groups: 60 days, 150 days and juveniles. Intact animals of all ages exhibited a classical secondary response. ‘Total’ thymectomy reduced the magnitude of the response in pouch young. Response to a second injection of antigen in juveniles was smaller than the response to the first dose. Removal of the superficial thymus alone, before day 10, delayed the onset of antibody response to sheep red blood cells from day 10 to day 36, and the removal of both the superficial and thoracic thymus glands before day 20 delayed the onset of antibody response to sheep red blood cells from day 10 to 150 days. Normal or near‐normal titres of antibody developed in juveniles thymectomized shortly after birth. The respective roles of the superficial and thoracic thymus glands in the immune response were discussed.