Polyclonal nature of the IgM from dysgammaglobulinemic chickens

Chickens bursectomized at hatch and/or treated with anti-immunoglobulin reagents such as anti-mu, anti-upsilon and F(ab')2 anti-mu may become agammaglobulinemic, hypogammaglobulinemic, hypergammaglobulinemic or exhibit normal levels of immunoglobulins. IgM and IgY produced by these dysgammaglobulinemic chickens were demonstrated to be polyclonal in origin. The IgM from chickens with hyper-IgM-globulinemia is also polyclonal in origin unlike the situation seen in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. These data do not rule out restricted allotype or subclass expression.