Antibody response in vitro of spleen cells from Plasmodium yoelii-infected mice

The primary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes and dinitrophenylated Ficoll of spleen cells from mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii was studied in vitro. The response to sheep erythrocytes was enhanced between 2 and 4 days after infection and depressed at later intervals. Cell fractionation experiments carried out at the time of immunosuppression indicated a defect of macrophage function. At the same time the response to dinitrophenylated Ficoll was normal.