A Quantitative Aspect of the Hypothetical Incorporation of Injected Antigen in Resulting Antibody

[摘要] From quantitative data relative to the weight of injected antigen and to the potency of resulting antibody it is conservatively estimated that one molecule of active antigenic substance gives rise to an amount of agglutinin capable of flocking 600 bacteria. This result is difficult to reconcile with the hypothesis that antibody is a conjugate of antigen and body globulin. The surface relationship (implicated in the mechanics of agglutination) between one globulin molecule and 600 bacteria is 1:25,000,000. Even with the assumption of multiple monospecific determinants in a single molecule of antigen the above discrepancy is extreme. A theory of antibody formation involving catalysis would seem more promising.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）