The immune response in adult sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus L.): the effect of temperature.

Adult lamprey were shown to produce antigen-specific antibody in response to weekly injections of human O-type erythrocytes ('O'-RBC) at both 17 degrees C and 9 degrees C. At the higher temperature, high titre antisera were produced earlier and at a faster rate than in animals kept at 9 degrees C. Lamprey kept at 9 degrees C, after a long lag period, eventually produced titres comparable to those obtained at 17 degrees C. Lamprey immunized and maintained at 9 degrees C were capable of producing high titres of antibody in response to second injection of antigen after the primary response titre had declined.