IMMUNITY IN LAMPREY .1. PRODUCTION OF HEMOLYTIC AND HEMAGGLUTINATING ANTIBODY TO SHEEP RED BLOOD-CELLS IN JAPANESE LAMPREYS

Serum from the arctic lamprey contains natural agglutinins which react in different degrees with the heterogenetic antigens on various vertebrates erythrocytes. These natural haemagglutinins were undetectable after heating the serum at 46°C for 30 min. However, no significant haemolytic activity was found in the sera of the arctic lamprey and brook lamprey. Although production of specific antibodies against sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was regularly inducible in the fall (in early anadromous migrants), the anti-SRBC response rose only modestly in the spring. Arctic lampreys, which received 0.5 ml of a 20 % SRBC suspension per week for 6 weeks at 15°C, showed a rise of 26- to 212-fold in specific haemagglutination titers in the 4th week after the last injection. The induced antibodies were heat stable and displayed a high degree of specificity to SRBC antigens. This antibody interacted with suitable complement to lyse SRBC. A remarkable secondary response was produced. Similar experiments were performed on all stages of the brook lamprey's life cycle, indicating that transforming larvae have the most sensitive reactivity against SRBC. © 1979 Pergamon Press Ltd. All rights reserved.