Selective simulation of allelic expression: effectf antibodies to allotypic markers on lymphoid cells

Peripheral blood leukocytes from rabbits which were heterozygous (b(5)/b(9)) for markers on their immunoglobulin light chains were maintained in vitro for up to 24 hours in the presence or absence of antibody to b9. After culture they were transferred into lethally irradiated b(4)/b(4)hosts. Recipients of cells exposed to antibodies to allotype markers showed a striking increase in concentration of circulating b9 molecules and number of b9 plasma cells in their spleens compared pared to control animals receiving untreated cells from the same donor. There was no appreciable difyerence between the two groups of recipients with respect to their content of b5 molecules and immunocytes.