Loss of Body Protein and Antibody Production by Rats on Low Protein Diets. *

Summary

The present experiment investigated the rate of loss of the capacity to produce antibody in comparison with the rate of loss of protein from body compartments including carcass, liver and plasma. Young adult male albino rats were tested at intervals from 0 to 100 days after initiation of the low protein diet for agglutinin and hemolysin production. Blood volumes, hemoglobin, serum protein, liver and carcass protein were determined. It was found that all protein compartments and the rate of antibody production fell at approximately linear percentage rates per day, the antibody production falling much faster than the rest. Statistically significant depression of the antibody titers was not reached till the 30th day with hemolysins and the 17th day with the agglutinins.