The Clearance of Antigen Antibody Complexes from the Blood by the Reticulo-Endothelial System

Summary Soluble complexes of antigens with rabbit antibody interfere by a phenomenon of competition with the phagocytosis of carbon particles by the reticuloendothelial system, when injected intravenously into mice and rabbits. Evidence is presented that at least the larger soluble antigen-antibody aggregates are phagocytized by the Kupffer cells of the liver. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the localization of antigen-antibody complexes in the sites of pathologic lesions of serum sickness.