Abstract
Conclusions and summary
The progressive changes in gamma globulin content in the sera of developing embryos indicated here confirm earlier findings(2). Following absorption of the yolk by the newly hatched chick, the transmitted gamma globulin levels decline until the young birds attain immunological maturity. The mature birds show high gamma globulin levels as illustrated by the electrophoretic patterns. In contrast, germ-free chicks reveal low levels of gamma globulin which remain so even at 313 days of age; T. cruzi agglutinin follows the same pattern. These results strongly suggest that a close correlation exists between serum gamma globulin levels and the indicator antibody. They also suggest that chickens reared under germ-free conditions, after losing the maternal antibody, do not replace it with gamma globulin of their own to any significant degree. Further studies are needed in order to follow the serum protein changes in older adult germ-free chickens and their response to controlled antigenic stimuli.
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