Biochemistry of Antibodies

I. Quantitative Methods for Determination of Antibodies.- Heidelbergern Quantitative Precipitation Method.- Quantitative Determination of Antibodies with the Aid of Immunoadsorbents.- Equilibrium Dialysis for the Quantitativ Measurement of the Hapten—Antibody Reaction.- Fluorescence Methods for Antibody Determination.- Literature Cited.- II. Isolation of Pure Antibodies.- Nonspecific Methods.- Specific Methods.- Isolation of the Antigen—Antibody Complex.- Dissociation of the Antigen—Antibody Complex.- Temperature Change.- Change in Ionic Strength.- Changes in pH of Medium.- Other Methods for Dissociation of a Specific Complex.- Separation of Antibody from Antigen after Dissociation of a Specific Complex.- Separation of Antibody from Soluble Antigen.- Separation of Antibody from Insoluble Antigens.- Isolation of Antibodies with the Aid of Fixed Antigens (Synthetic Immunoadsorbents).- Antigens Adsorbed on an Insoluble Support.- Antigens Linked to an Insoluble Support via a Chemical Bond.- Cellulose-Based Immunoadsorbents.- Immunoadsorbents Based on Synthetic Polymers.- Literature Cited.- III. Properties of Antibodies.- The Chief Types of Immunoglobulins.- Other Serum Immunoglobulins.- Microglobulins in Plasma and Urine.- Size and Shape of Molecules.- Molecular Weight.- Electrophoretic Properties.- Optical Properties.- Ultraviolet Absorption.- Optical Rotatory Dispersion.- Fluorescence Polarization.- Chemical Properties.- Amino Acid Composition.- Terminal Amino Acid Residues.- Carbohydrate Component of Immunoglobulins.- Valence of Antibodies.- Antigen Properties.- Determinants Common to All Immunoglobulins.- Determinants Characteristic of the Principal Types of Immunoglobulins.- Determinants of Subgroups of the Principal Types of Immunoglobulins.- Allotypical Determinants.- Determinants Exposed by Recombination of Heavy and Light Chains.- Internal Determinants.- Individual Determinants of Immunoglobulins and Antibodies.- Heterogeneity of Antibodies.- Literature Cited.- IV. The Structure of Antibodies.- Fragments Obtained by Proteolytic Cleavage of Immunoglobulins.- Papain-Cleaved Fragments.- Fragments Obtained by Hydrolysis with Pepsin and Other Proteases.- Classification of Proteolytic Fragments.- Subunits and Peptide Chains Obtained by Chemical Treatment of Molecules of Immunoglobulins and Antibodies.- Splitting of Disulfide Bonds.- Separation of Peptide Chains.- Physicochemical Properties of Peptide Chains.- Molecular Weight.- Absorption at 280 m?.- Solubility.- Chemical Composition of Peptide Chains of Immunoglobulins.- Antigenic Properties of Peptide Chains.- Peptide Chains of Pathological Immunoglobulins.- Role of Peptide Chains of Antibodies in the Antigen Reaction. Molecular Antibody Hybrids.- ?G-Globulin Subunits Containing Both Types of Chains.- Cyanogen Bromide Fragments.- Peptide Chains and Subunits of ?A- and ?M-Globulins.- Classification of Peptide Chains.- Structural Model of ?G-Globulin Molecules.- Interchain Disulfide Bonds.- The Antibody Binding Site.- Chemical Structure.- Size of Antibody Binding Sites.- Primary Structure of Antibodies and Immunoglobulins.- Primary Structure of Certain Sections of Immunoglobulins. Amino Acid Sequence in Polypeptide Chains of Immunoglobulins.- Peptide Maps of Antibodies.- Dependence of the Secondary Structure of Antibodies on the Primary Structure.- Literature Cited.- V. Antibody Biosynthesis.- The Fate of Antigen.- In Which Organs and Cells Are Antibodies Synthesized?.- Antibody-Synthesizing Cells.- RNA Synthesis in Lymphoid Cells during Antibody Synthesis.- Attempts to Induce Antibody Synthesis by RNA Fractions Isolated from Lymphoid Tissue of Immune Rabbits.- Dynamics of Antibody Synthesis.- Latent Period.- Antibody Production.- Kinetics of Antibody Formation.- Sequence of Synthesis of 19 S and 7 S Antibodies.- In Vitro Antibody Synthesis.- Methods for Culturing Antibody-Synthesizing Tissues and Cells.- Primary and Secondary Responses in vitro.- Course of Antibody Synthesis in vitro.- Quantity of Antibodies Synthesized in vitro.- Microglobulins Synthesized in a Tissue Culture.- Synthesis of the Carbohydrate Components of Immunoglobulins.- Participation of Ribosomes in the Biosynthesis of Antibodies. Cell Free Systems Polyribosomes.- Inhibitors of Antibody Synthesis.- Literature Cited.- VI. Genetic Aspects of Antibody Synthesis.- Effect of Hereditary Factors on Synthesis of ?-Globulins and Antibodies.- Hypo- and Agammaglobulinemia.- Inheritable Variations in Antibody Synthesis.- Immunoglobulins in Newborn Animals.- Genetically Controllable Antigenic Determinants of Immunoglobulins (Allotypes).- Rabbit Allotypes.- Genotypic Factors of Human Immunoglobulins.- Allotypes of Mice.- Genes Controlling Antibody Synthesis.- Regulation of Gene Expression.- The Unipotency of Lymphoid Cells.- The Balance of Synthesis of Heavy and Light Peptide Chains.- Suppression of Synthesis of Immunoglobulin Allotypes.- Synthesis of DNA by Lymphoid Cells and Its Stimulation.- Stimulation of DNA Synthesis.- Literature Cited.- VII. Theory of Antibody Synthesis.- Template Theory of Antibody Synthesis.- Theory of the Pre-existence of Information for Antibody Specificity.- Hypothesis of the Somatic Origins of Variability.- Theory of Repression—Derepression.- Evolutionary Aspects of Antibody Synthesis.- Literature Cited.