Antibody production to antigen-specific factors.

Abstract

Analysis of the mechanism of lymphoid cell interactions has revealed the presence of many soluble messenger molecules, commonly termed “factors,” replacing the function of T cells or macrophages. Specific (Feldmann and Basten, 1972; Munro and Taussig, 1975; Howie and Feldmann, 1977) or nonspecific (Dutton, 1973; Schimpl and Wecker, 1973) T helper factors were first described, then T suppressor factors (Tada et al., 1975; Kapp et al., 1976; Kontiainen and Feldmann, 1977), T-T-interaction factors (Plate, 1976; Feldmann and Erb, 1977), and also macrophage factors (Erb and Feldmann, 1975). Despite the presence of bioassays for functional characterization of these factors, many aspects of their biochemistry, genetics of induction or function, and mode of action in intact animals are still poorly understood. The main problem hindering resolution of these problems has been the minute quantities of material required for high biological activity, in bioassays of relative complexity, where small amounts of messenger molecules initiate or modulate a complex series of events.KeywordsHelper CellSuppressor CellConstant RegionSuppressor FactorMyeloma ProteinThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.