Study of antibody-producing capacity of single cells by bacterial adherence and immobilization.

The phenomenon of bacterial adherence described in the accompanying paper was used in combination with bacterial immobilization to study further the question of whether one cell can produce more than one antibody. Rats were immunized with a single flagellar preparation, either flagella or flagellin. Each of these contained not only H-antigenic activity but also significant O-antigenic activity. Single cells were tested seriatim for anti-H and anti-O activity. Of 1333 cells from rats immunized with flagella, 455 produced either anti-H or anti-O antibody; 4 produced both; 43% of plasma cells tested were active. Of 360 cells from rats immunized from flagellin, 213 produced either anti-H or anti-O antibody; 3 produced both; 67% of plasma cells tested were active. These results are compared with our previous studies on antibody production by single cells, and with the results obtained by other workers in the filed.