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CONCENTRATIONS OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS AND ALBUMIN IN LYMPH COLLECTED FROM VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE BODY OF THE SHEEP
Author(s) -
Beh KJ,
Watson DL,
Lascelles AK
Publication year - 1974
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.1974.6
Subject(s) - lymph , albumin , antibody , afferent , chemistry , efferent ducts , lymphatic system , serum albumin , pathology , efferent , immunoglobulin a , lymph node , endocrinology , immunoglobulin g , medicine , immunology , andrology , epididymis , sperm
Summary In an attempt to estimate the amount of locally produced immunoglobulin in lymph, concentrations of IgG 1 , IgG 2 , IgA, IgM and albumin were measured in lymph collected from various regions of the body of unanaesthetized sheep. In testicular, afferent leg and efferent leg lymph, the lymph:serum concentration ratios for albumin were much greater than the corresponding ratios for the immunoglobulins. It was found that the concentration of the immunoglobulins and albumin was greater in efferent than in afferent leg lymph, suggesting that capillary beds in the node are contributing capillary filtrate of a higher protein concentration than capillary beds drained by the afferent duct. In contrast to lymph from other regions, the lymph:serum concentration ratios of intestinal lymph for IgG 1 , IgG 2 and especially IgA exceeded that for albumin, indicating that these immunoglobulins are being added to the capillary filtrate forming in the intestine. The concentration of IgA in intestinal lymph was 1·13 mg/ml and it was calculated that intestinal lymph contributes approximately 2 g of IgA to the blood each day. An additional source of serum IgA is the involuting mammary gland and it was calculated that it could contribute up to 0·2 g IgA to the blood each day.