THE ORIGIN OF THE IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN INTESTINAL LYMPH OF SHEEP

SummaryVarious immunoglobulins were labelled with radioactive iodine and their distribution between intestinal lymph and plasma followed in order to determine the origin of the immunoglobulins found in intestinal lymph. By comparing specific activities in plasma and lymph, it was computed that 25% of the IgG1and IgG2and 90% of the IgA in intestinal lymph were locally synthesised. The results suggest that virtually all of the IgA and a proportion of the IgG1computed to be synthesised locally were derived from plasma cells of corresponding specificity in the lamina propria of the intestine.