Antibody coated erythrocytes as a manifold probe for antigens

Abstract

A variety of antigens can be coupled to erythrocytes and these antigen coated erythrocytes (Ag-E) are widely used for the detection of the corresponding antibody¹. In principle, if erythrocytes were coated with antibody, these antibody-coated erythrocytes (Ab-E) would be useful for the detection of the corresponding antigen. Ag-E and Ab-E should exhibit parallel reversed immunological phenomena, for example, whereas Ag-E are agglutinated and lysed by antibody, Ab-E should be agglutinated and lysed by antigen; whereas Ag-E are antibody reactive, Ab-E should be antigen reactive. To test this prediction, we attached various antibodies, purified from antisera by using immunosorbents², to sheep erythrocytes by the chromium chloride method³. These Ab-E were tested with the corresponding antigens by agglutination, haemolysis and immunocytoadhesion methods.