Crossed Immunoelectrophoresis of Neonatal and Juvenile Mouse Serum

Abstract

Abstract

In male and female A/J mouse sera taken at intervals from birth through early adulthood, 16 antigens were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Only 3 (α₁-antichymotrypsin, α₂-macroglobulin, C-3 globulin) began and remained at normal adult levels. Another 3 (α₁-lipoprotein, ceruloplasmin, transferrin) began slightly low, rose above normal levels at 2–3 weeks, then returned to normal. Eight (albumin, No. 26, α₁-antitrypsin, inter-α-inhibitor, No. 21, Gc globulin, hemopexin, and IgG) were very low or undetectable at birth, then rose in various nonparallel ways to, or sometimes, above normal. Two (α₂-HS glycoprotein, No. 10) began above normal and then rose higher before falling back to normal as the mice entered adolescence. The natures and functions of the numbered antigens are unknown. Serum concentrations of 4 antigens (α₁-lipoprotein, α₁-antitrypsin, Nos. 21 and 10) were significantly different in 6-week-old males and females, and this difference persisted into adulthood for α₁-antitrypsin. Certain antigens also exhibited “juvenile” forms: in newborn sera α₁-antitrypsin and α₁-lipoprotein reversed their normal immunoelectrophoretic positions, most C-3 globulin in neonatal serum was of the C-3b anodic form, and Gc globulin was an α₁ instead of the normal adult α₂ globulin. These various data for juvenile mouse sera are discussed and compared with analogous but sometimes quite contrasting data for juvenile human sera.