[Studies on the control of IgM-antibody synthesis V. Affinity of anti-DNP antibodies in carps immunized with DNP-ficoll (author's transl)].

The dynamics of affinity of anti-DNP antibodies of carps immunized with T cell independent DNP-Ficoll was studied during the immune response. The intrinsic affinity (KO) of antibodies to monovalent epsilon-DNP-lysine is 10(5)--10(6)M-1 and does not change significantly in course of the immunisation. The affinity of tetrameric IgM antibodies to multivalent DNP-T4 conjugate is only 10(2)--10(3)-fold greater than to monovalent hapten, contrary to about 10(6)-fold higher values following immunisation with T cell-dependent antigens. The functional affinity (KF) increases during immune response slightly. KO and KF or antibodies are dependent on antigen dose. High antigen doses elicite antibodies with higher affinity.