ON THE MECHANISM OF OPSONIN AND BACTERIOTROPIN ACTION : V. EXPERIMENTAL TEST OF A THEORY OF TROPIN ACTION

Antisera against several strains of acid-fast bacteria have been separated into their euglobulin, pseudoglobulin and albumin fractions. The globulin fractions have been found to possess the essential properties of bacteriotropic sera: thus they alter the bacterial surface properties, and, in quantitative correspondence, cause agglutination and phagocytosis; these several effects withstand washing of the sensitized bacteria; the effects are little if at all affected by inactivation of the antisera before fractionation; the combination of antibody and antigen is serologically specific. The conclusion is drawn that the contact of antigen with fresh homologous immune serum results in the deposit on the antigen surface of a substance or substances contained in the globulin fractions of the antiserum; as a consequence of this surface deposit leucocytes can spread upon and engulf the antigen.