Electrophoretic and immunological studies on sera from calves from birth to weaning. I. Electrophoretic studies.

Abstract

Summary1. The serum proteins of calves from birth to weaning, and the maternal colostral whey have been examined with the ‘classical’ Tiselius electrophoresis apparatus. Differences were shown between calves fed colostrum and those partially deprived of colostrum.2. A study of the pre-colostral calf serum showed the presence of albumin and of two major components with mobilities similar to the α and β globulins of adult serum. A component forming approximately 1·4 % of the total serum proteins and with a mobility similar to that of γ1or fibrinogen represented the γ1globulin. This globulin component was not unconverted fibrinogen and may be autogenous γ globulin or γ globulin passively acquiredin utero.3. Autogenous γ globulin was evident in colostrum-fed and colostrum-deprived calves shortly after birth. The γ1and γ2components could be distinguished by the 10th day after birth, at which time the γ1globulin was the greater. By the 30th day the γ2globulin exceeded the γ1globulin and a smaller component termed the γ3globulin could usually be detected between the γ2and the salt boundary.4. Albumin concentrations generally fluctuated inversely to changes in the total serum globulins.5. The α globulins associated with fetuin declined shortly after birth in the colostrum-fed group. In the deprived group α globulin first rose and then fell. In both groups minimum α globulin values were reached at about the 30th day, when the α1globulin, although initially the major component in pre-colostral calf serum, was more depleted than the α2.6. The β globulin frequently showed a transient though marked increase when the α globulins were at their lowest values.7. No changes in the electrophoretic mobilities of the major serum proteins were detected as the calves matured, and no significant difference was found between the mobilities of the electrophoretic components of calf and adult sera.8. The electrophoretic examination of colostral whey, colostral lacto-globulin fractions and calf serum immediately after suckling usually showed one lacto-globulin component. The relationship between the serum γ globulins and the lacto-globulin. is discussed.The author wishes to thank Dr M. Robertson, F.R.S., and Sir Alan Drury, F.R.S. for their interest and encouragement during the course of this work, Dr W. R. Kerr for his co-operation in supplying most of the serum and colostrum samples, and Dr A. W. Stableforth and Dr J. S. Paterson for making certain cattle available for these experiments.