Antigen modulation of antibody forming cells: the relationship between direct plaque size, antibody secretion rate and antibody affinity.

Using the mathematical theory of direct plaque growth, we have analyzed the expected variation of plaque size with IgM affinity and secretion rate. We use the theory to comment on recent effector cell blockage experiments and show how the theory can be used to determine the change in the secretion rate of a single antibody-forming cell subjected to blockage by a multivalent antigen. We also argue, using the mathematical theory, that under the usual experimental conditions employed in the plaque assay, cells that produce low affinity IgM antibodies will give rise to smaller plaques than cells that produce high affinity IgM antibodies.