> Hi,
>> Can anybody give me more information(or references) about raising
> antibodies in chicken (amount of protein needed, number of boosters,
> chance of antibodies against other species, etc). I heard that the
> chance on species cross-reacting antibodies is the highest in chicken;
> is that also your experience?
>> Roeland Hanemaaijer
> Gaubius lab,
> Leifden, The Netherlands
Roeland:
Yes its true that it's easier to get species cross-reactive antibodies
(to mammalian antigens at least) by immunizing chickens. I guess that
to a chicken immune system, all of us mammals look alike. A protocol
that I have used to immunize chickens comes from Johnstone & Thorpe,
"Immunochemistry in Practice"; Blackwell Scientific Publishers,
London,1982; pp 28-29. Inject 50-200 ug of protein in Complete Freund's
Adjuvant I.M into the breast muscle (2-4 sites; 0.25 - 0.5 ml per
site). Boost in 10 days with an additional 50 - 200 ug antigen in
Incomplete Freund's. You can test bleed from the wing vein starting 7
days later. I my hands as I recall (its been a lot of years),
additional boosters did not increase the antibody titer by much. Good
luck. -- Dom Spinella
