Antibody Production in the Rabbit's Cornea

Abstract

Summary When hen ovalbumin was injected into the center of the rabbit's cornea, tests for antigen and antibody in the eye tissues, lymph nodes, and serum indicated that the albumin diffused rapidly peripherally into the cornea-scleral junction tissue and anterior sclera. It remained in these tissues in readily detectable concentrations up to the time antibodies began to appear (8 days). The antigen diffused also into the aqueous fluid, but disappeared from there about 5 days after the injections. It was demonstrable in the serum in the period from 22 to 60 hours following injection. No antigen was demonstrated in the regional lymph nodes. It was indicated that the antigen reached the general circulation by way of Schlemm's canal and the blood vascular system, rather than by way of the lymphatic system. Antibodies began to appear in the eye tissues and serum at 192 hours following the corneal injection of albumin. In 3 instances antibodies were shown in the eye tissues before they appeared in the serum. In one case they appeared in the serum before they were demonstrated in the eye tissues. In most cases antibodies appeared in the eye tissues and serum simultaneously. Antibodies were readily and uniformly demonstrated in the corneal tissues at periods of 28 to 74 days following corneal injection when all traces of antibody had disappeared from the serum. In several experiments antibody was demonstrable in the anterior sclera, junction tissue, or peripheral cornea, while antigen was still present in the tissues closer to the point of injection at the center of the cornea. Antibodies were never demonstrated in the regional lymph nodes (preauricular, submaxillary, cervical). Following the injection of hen ovalbumin into the right corneas, and of human serum albumin into the left corneas, the respective corneal tissues contained only antibodies against the specific antigens which they had received. By the use of absorption tests this was found to be true also even when closely related antigens, hen ovalbumin and turkey ovalbumin, were injected into the right and left corneas respectively.