H-2-linked genetic control of the plaque-forming cell response to sheep red blood cells

The role of genes linked to the H-2 locus in effecting an immune response to SRBC was examined using strains of mice which differ in the classes of antibodies produced following multiple injections with SRBC. While H-2-linked gene action appeared to be at the level of regulating the number of plaque-forming cells (PFC) present in the spleens of different strains following two injections with SRBC, non-H-2-linked immune response genes seemed to determine whether an IgM-IgG switch occurred as well as how much of each antibody class was produced by the number of PFC available as a result of H-2-linked gene intervention. Mapping studies showed that the H-2-linked genetic effects were due to either the requirement for two genes or the presence of genes located between I-B and H-2D.