Abstract
The average affinity of rabbit antibodies directed against the capsular polysaccharide of Type III pneumococci and harvesed at various times during the immunization procedure was determined by equilibrium dialysis. The results show that during prolonged immunization with pneumococci, the immune response matures, that is, there is a progressive increase in the average affinity of the elicited antibodies. This is attributed to a selective process occurring in the system based on a competition for antigen between antigen-sensitive cells and serum antibody. On occasions, antibody components of restricted structural heterogeneity are produced. These are assumed to be the product of clones of cells that have overgrown the immune system. It is proposed that the selective advantage possessed by these clones is that their product is of markedly higher affinity than that of prior antibody in the system.
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