Immunological characterisation of two chicken lines
1996
Kreukniet, M.B.
Two chicken lines were divergently selected for antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Several experiments were conducted to investigate what mechanisms the immune system of the chickens uses to realize either the high (H) or the low (L) antibody production. The lines did not differ in phagocytic activity and there were no indications for line differences in antigen presentation. Selection affected both the T cell and the B cell compartment differently in the two lines. T cell activity was presently found to be higher in the L line. A relative higher number of B cells was found in the H line, which might attribute to a higher antibody response in this line. The lines also differed in cellular organization of the spleen. The organization in the H line spleen might favour antibody response. On the other hand, higher percentages CD8 +cells were found in the L line and these might suppress antibody response. The percentages of CD4 +cells differ also between the lines. CD4 +cells are able to stimulate immune responses. Which response is stimulated - cellular or humoral - depends on the cytokines released by the immune cells.When compared with the random bred control line, the high antibody response was found to be largely SRBC specific. The low antibody response in the L line seems to be less antigen specific. Selection lines can be readily used as in vivo models when the immune repertoire is genetically fixed and fully characterized.
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