THE SEDIMENTATION PROPERTIES OF THE SKIN-SENSITIZING ANTIBODIES OF RAGWEED-SENSITIVE PATIENTS.

The sedimentation coefficients of the skin-sensitizing antibodies to ragweed were evaluated by the moving partition cell method and the sucrose density gradient method. The most reliable results were obtained by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation which showed that the major portion of skin-sensitizing antibodies to ragweed sediment with an average value of 7.7S (7.4 to 7.9S). This is about one S unit faster than gamma-globulins (6.8S). The data from the moving partition cell method are in agreement with these results. Our studies failed to demonstrate heterogeneity of the skin-sensitizing antibodies with regard to sedimentation rate.