The effect of anti-microvillus membrane antibodies on the transport of IgG across the suckling rat intestine.

Rabbits were immunized with a preparation of microvillus membranes derived from the absorptive cells of the small intestine of suckling rats. The resulting immune serum contained antibodies which reacted specifically with the brush borders and walls of cytoplasmic vesicles of the intestinal cells, and was more effective than normal serum in preventing the transport of IgG across the intestinal cells. These results reflect the participation of microvillus membrane components, or receptors, in the transport mechanism.