Ontogeny of immunoglobulin expression in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Katherine Belov, Mai-Anh Nguyen, Kyall Zenger, Desmond Cooper

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    8 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Marsupials, unlike eutherians, are born immunologically immature, without circulating lymphocytes or organised lymphoid tissue. Their immune response develops while they are in the pouch not in the uterus. In this study, the onset time of immunoglobulin expression in Trichosurus vulpecula pouch young was estimated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. As in eutherian species, IgM heavy chain transcripts were detected first, at day 10 post partum. The first switched transcript, detected at day 18, was Cα. Cγ and Cε transcripts were not present at day 72, but were seen at day 103, approximately corresponding to the time of release of the teat and exposure to new antigens, as well as the time of the loss of capacity to absorb maternal Igs through the gut.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)599-602
    Number of pages4
    JournalDevelopmental and Comparative Immunology
    Volume26
    Issue number7
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

    Keywords

    • Heavy chain
    • Immunoglobulin
    • Marsupial
    • Ontogeny
    • Pouch young
    • Trichosurus vulpecula

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