Basic strategies of the immune system in the regulation of antibody response

Summary Three major regulatory mechanisms operating in the control of antibody response have been examined: 1. antibody feedback; 2. T cell regulation (I. regulatory interactions among T cell subsets, II. H-2 linked Ir gene control of T cell function, III. regulatory role of antigenic epitopes in T cell subsets induction); 3. idiotypic network. Analysis of the results obtained in the lysozyme system together with available data in the literature have permitted the delineation of a model of antigen-triggered events involved in the regulation of antibody response. The basic feature of the proposed model is the integration of two major specific communication systems among lymphocytes engaged in the antibody response: antigen bridge and idiotypic complementarity.