Characteristics and properties of yolk antibodies in poultry

UDC 619:615.373

Kaplin V.S., Kaplina O.N.

Summary. Despite the fact that the specific antibodies were detected in chicken egg yolks in 1893, only in 1969 began serious research on the study and practical application of these antibodies in research and therapy. Bird eggs present an ideal alternative antibody source to mammals, as the IgY in the chicken’s blood is transported to the egg and accumulates in the egg yolk in large quantities. The existence IgY-technology has been well documented in recent studies and extensive research has been carried out on its characterization, production and purification. The yolks of eggs laid by immunized bird have been recognized as an excellent source of polyclonal antibodies for over a forty five. This simple non invasive approach presents an appealing alternative to conventional polyclonal antibody production methods. The use of immunoglobulin therapy extends the arsenal of methods available for pathogen management in medicine and veterinary medicine, IgY is a promising candidate, both as an alternative to antibiotics, and as a useful tool in research and diagnostics.

Keywords: immunoglobulins; IgY; IgY-technologies; passive immunization; yolk antibodies; yolk sac; adaptive immunity; bag of Fabricius; thymus; spleen.

References:

1. Verkhovskiy O.A., Fyedorov Yu.N., Garayeva M.M., Aliper T.I. Strukturnyye i funktsionalnyye osobennosti immunoglobulinov ptits [Structural and functional features of avian immunoglobulins]. - Veterinariya. - Moscow, 2007 (11). - pp. 18-22.

2. Tsinkernagel R. Osnovy immunologii [Immunology fundamentals]. - Mir. - Moscow, 2008. - 135 p.

3. Chiou Y-Nen. Sposob selektivnogo vydeleniya antitel IgY iz yaichnogo zheltka ptits otryada gusenoobraznykh [Method for selective isolation of IgY antibodies from egg yolk from geese]. - Patent RF 20.08.2007.

4-67. Vide supra.

Author affiliation:

Kaplina Olga N., senior scientific researcher of the State scientific Centre of virology and biotechnology "Vector"; Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, 630559; e-mail: forelat@ngs.ru.

Responsible for correspondence with the editorial board: Kaplin Vladimir S., Ph. D. in Biology, senior scientific researcher of the State scientific Centre of virology and biotechnology "Vector"; Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, 630559; e-mail: kaplin_@ngs.ru.