Adoptive Antibody Formation in the Syrian Hamster Free

Adoptive transfer of antibody formation was demonstrated in the Syrian hamster. Spleen cells from donors receiving a second injection of antigen were capable of producing detectable antibody in recipients whereas cells from donors receiving their first injection were not. Antibody formation could be transferred from donor to recipient when the donor-antigen contact was only 15 min and it occurred even when viability of the cells had been destroyed by freezing and thawing; it was therefore probably due to transfer of antigenic material. Within 60 min of donor-antigen contact, however, the ability to transfer antibody formation became dependent on the maintenance of viable cells in the spleen.