Hemolysin Formation in Mice Following Partial, Total Splenectomy or Spleen Transplantation

Summary Serum hemolysin titers were correlated with weight of remnant spleen present in groups of partially splenectomized NIH mice sacrificed 5 days after intravenous immunization with sheep erythrocytes. Total splenectomy of mice completely suppressed hemolysin formation after intravenous immunization and was associated with a 27% decrease in amount of antibody formed, and a 24 hour delay required for development of peak serum titer. Complete suppression of antibody formation was partially reversed by autologous spleen transplants in splenectomized mice of 2 strains; by isologous transplants in Balb/c but not in NIH mice; and unaffected by homologous transplants in either of the 2 strains.