A Quantitative Study of Serum Proteins in Bursectomized and Irradiated Chickens

Total protein content of chicken serum was found to increase slowly from hatch through 12 weeks of age. Albumin levels rose sharply from hatch until 2–3 weeks of age, while gamma G levels declined until 2–3 weeks of age. At this time the bird apparently attains the ability to produce IgG in appreciable quantities. IgM, which was generally absent or very low at hatching, increased rapidly during the first week of postembryonic life. Both surgical and hormonal bursectomy resulted in a delay in normal IgG production. IgM levels in these two groups were higher than control levels. Transferrin levels were also higher than found in the control groups. Surgical bursectomy plus 700 r. of the whole body gamma- irradiation resulted in decreased total protein content of the serum as well as decreased IgG and IgM levels. Percent albumin levels tended to be higher in bursectomized-irradiated birds than in control birds.