GAMMA-A IMMUNOGLOBULINS AND THE CONCEPT OF LOCAL IMMUNITY

[摘要] The concept that an active immune response could be generated at the tissue level, particularly in reference to the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, is an old and venerable one. It was, however, without substantial scientific basis until recently, when the active generation and secretion of antibody activity onto these surfaces was clearly demonstrated.The key observations were: (1) that anti-viral and anti-bacterial antibodies were present in the secretions of individuals recovered from active infection, (2) that secreted antibodies were dominantly of the gamma-A immunoglobulin class, and (3) that protection against reinfection could be best stimulated by local infection or application of the agent to the mucus surface.

[学科分类] 儿科学