A Study of the Relation of Temperature to Antibody Formation in Cold-Blooded Animals

Abstract

Summary Fifty-six frogs kept at room temperature, ranging between 22° and 27°C. and inoculated with 0.5 cc. of 20 per cent suspension of red blood corpuscles every third day until 2 cc. had been administered developed antibodies (hemolysins), in some cases to a titer of 1:3. Sixty frogs kept at room temperature, ranging between 22° and 27°C., under exactly the same conditions as the room experimentals, but not inoculated with the antigen, developed no antibodies (hemolysins). Seventy-nine frogs were kept at refrigerator temperature ranging between 8°C. and 10°C., and inoculated with 0.5 cc. of 20 per cent suspension of human red blood cells every third day until 2 cc. had been administered. This group did not develop antibodies (hemolysins). Twenty-eight frogs kept at refrigerator temperature, ranging between 8° and 10°C., but not inoculated with antigen, did not show the presence of antibodies. Finally it seems to be obvious from the results obtained: (1) that a cold-blooded animal, when kept at warm temperatures (22° to 27°C.), forms antibodies in a way comparable to those formed in a warm-blooded animal; (2) if kept at cold temperatures (8° to 10°C.) the cold-blooded animal does not form antibodies. It would seem, therefore, since all other things are equal, the temperature being the only known variable factor, that in this experiment it alone was the controlling factor in antibody formation.