Abstract
Summary
The rates at which heterologous serum proteins are eliminated from the blood of guinea pigs, rabbits, rats and mice prior to the immune response may differ greatly from rates of elimination of homologous serum proteins. While elimination of homologous proteins, particularly albumins, appears to be related primarily to the metabolic rate of the host, elimination of heterologous proteins apparently reflects, in addition, the physiological and metabolic suitability of the protein to the particular host. Rabbit gamma globulin is unique in that it persists in foreign hosts as long or longer than do the homologous proteins. The half-lives of serum proteins in guinea pig are independent of the methods used for their separation (alcohol and ammonium sulfate fractionation).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.