In sera and in secretions, J chains are found linked to molecules of polymeric IgA and IgM by disulfide bonds. Their function remains undetermined; the init ial concept that they were essential to the process of polymerization has been questioned. It is of special interest that J-chain synthesis is not restricted to cells producing polymeric immunoglobulins of the IgA and IgM classes; it has be...

A new class of immunoglobulin, IgD, was identified in normal human serum by immunochemical technics. Antiserums prepared against the unique S.J. myeloma protein facilitated recognition of the related normal protein. IgD was shown to possess type K (I) and type L (II) light chain determinants, similar to those present in other classes of immunoglobulins. IgD does not possess determinants which a...

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) remains elusive. Recent reports advocate greater involvement of B cells and immunoglobulins in the initiation and propagation of MS lesions at different stages of their ontogeny. The key role of B cells and immunoglobulins in pathogenesis was initially identified by studies in which patients whose fulminant attacks of demyelination did not respond to ...

We determined the concentrations of immunoglobulins A, G, and M in cerebrospinal fluid of 16 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, 13 with non-bacterial meningitis, 10 with stroke syndrome, and 13 with epilepsy. The differences in concentrations of immunoglobulins in these groups were remarkable in the patients with multiple sclerosis, meningitis, or stroke syndrome. We propose that the d...

Rat and rabbit IgG immunoglobulins conjugated to horseradiah peroxidase as a histochemical marker bind at 0 degrees C to the luminal surface of absorptive cells in isolated segments of jejunum from 10-12-day old rats. Binding is observed at pH 6.0, near the normal luminal pH of the duodenum and jejunum at this age, but not at pH 7.4. Furthermore, no binding occurs when cells are exposed at pH 6...