The tissue localization, immunogenic, and tolerance-inducing properties of antigens and antigenfragments

Insofar as specific antibody is formed only as a result of introduction of antigen into an animal or addition of antigen to appropriate cells in a tissue culture system, the immune process depends upon the fate of the antigen either within the animal or in the in vitro system. While the in vitro approach has a great potential, it is only now beginning to be a feasible procedure. Much work can still be carried out in intact animals. We have over the last few years explored in depth several facets of this aspect of immune induction and in this contri-bution we present some of the more pertinent observations, together with recent work on the fate of antigen and antigen fragments and their role in immune induction and tolerance