Autoradiographic detection of antigens in cells using tritium-labeled antibodies

Abstract

Immunoglobulins specific for cellular antigens of several types were treated with 3H-acetic anhydride in conditions which were shown to introduce three to four 3H-acetyl groups per molecule, with very high retention of the antibody titers. Methods were established for application of these labeled globulins in an autoradiographic procedure. The results show that localization of cell-bound antigens can be demonstrated by this method, by silver grain concentrations at sites that correspond to those demonstrated by the same globulins labeled with a fluorescent marker. A control nonimmune globulin was reacted similarly and gave no labeling of the same tissues. The advantage of the isotopic method would be the relative quantitation that it is, in principle, capable of yielding.