Persistence of antigen in nonarthritic joints.

The presence of antigen, IgG and C3 was shown by radioautography and immunofluorescence in the collagenous tissues of the joints of animals injected intra-articularly with antigen after having been previously immunized with that antigen in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Since these joints were shown to be virtually free of inflammatory reactions, we suggest that the persistence of immune complexes activating complement cannot fully explain the chronicity of experimental allergic arthritis.