Specificity of antibody formation after intravitreal immunization with bovine gamma globulin and ovalbumin. I. Primary response.

Rabbits were immunized intravitreally with bovine gamma globulin in one eye and ovalbumin in the other. Uveal tract cells of a given eye produced antibody only to the antigen with which the eye had been injected. Cells from the draining lymph node produced antibody almost exclusively to the antigen injected into the eye drained by that node. When both antigens were injected into the same eye, uveal tract and lymph node cells produced antibody to both antigens. No antibodies were produced by cells from the uninjected eye. Circulating hemolysins and hemagglutinins to both antigens were demonstrated in all rabbits. Antibody was also detected in the aqueous humor. The response in the lymph nodes of rabbits that received the two antigens via the footpad was not specific.