The evaluation of lung immunity in chimpanzees.

The development of immunity in the chimpanzee was evaluated at 5 through 14 days after the deposition of a particulate antigen into a single lung lobe. An increased number of IgA, IgM, and IgG antibody-forming cells were found in the immunized lung lobes and in the blood. Few antibody-forming cells were found in the control lung lobes. The results from the chimpanzees were qualitatively the same as those from previous studies in which single lung lobes of dogs were immunized. However, a higher number of IgA antibody-forming cells was observed in the lavage fluid from chimpanzees than in that from dogs.