SUMMARY OF WORKSHOP ON HOMOGENEOUS IMMUNOGLOBULINS WITH BINDING ACTIVITY

Many different materials have now been shown to react with M-components of mice and man. Each interaction between an M-component and a ligand must be carefully scrutinized before it can be accepted as representing antibody activity. A few of these reactions have been extensively analyzed and by a number of criteria they appear to be analogous to 'authentic' antibody-antigen interactions. The availability in quantity of even a few homogeneous immunoglobulins that bind well-defined ligands whould provide a better understanding of the antibody combining site and the nature of antigen-antibody interactions. The clear cut demonstration of antibody activity in M-components when coupled with recent advances in the crystallization of M-components should shortly make possible realization of the ultimate goal of a three dimensional model of a antibody molecule. © 1969.