HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Morris, M. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Morris, M. C.

The Effect of Dilution on the Reaction Between Pneumococcus and Its Specific Antibody

II. The Dilution Phenomenon¹

Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Abstract

In a previous publication (1) it was shown that mixtures of pneumococcus type I and its specific antibody may be prepared which upon dilution fail to infect mice. The dilution was extensive enough to permit the conclusion that the antibody present could not account for the results, unless such antibody were firmly bound to the pneumococcus during its exposure to the more concentrated serum in the original mixture. It was also shown that the observations were not attributable to aggregation of the pneumococci in the concentrated mixtures. These results, therefore, bring evidence for the existence of a firm union of pneumococci and antipneumococcal antibody which is not affected by dilution.

On the other hand, Enders and Shaffer (2) have observed that neutral mixtures of pneumococcus type III and its specific antibody become infectious on dilution.

Footnotes

¹ Aided by a grant from the Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana.