Immunologic Maturation <i>in utero</i> : Kinetics of the Primary Antibody Response in the Fetal Lamb

Abstract

The kinetics of the primary antibody response to bacteriophage φX174 have been studied in the fetal lamb in utero after permanent indwelling catheterization of the fetal blood vessels. The initial antibody response by the developing fetus to this form of antigenic stimulus is comparable to that found in adult animals and shows none of the characteristics of the immature immunologic response that have generally been ascribed to fetal and neonatal animals.