Evolution of low molecular weight immunoglobulins. V. Degree of antigenic relationship between the 7S immunoglobulins of mammals, birds, and lower vertebrates to the turkey IgY.

Hädge D, Ambrosius H
Dev Comp Immunol 10:377-85

Abstract
There are close antigenic relations between the turkey IgY--the dominant 7S Ig of serum--and the corresponding IgY-like Igs of chicken, duck, goose, tortoise, and frog as well as serum or colostral IgA of man and swine. The RIA-systems used for the determination of immunological cross-reactivity among the Ig types consisted of 125-I-labelled turkey IgY and class-specific rabbit anti-turkey IgY antibodies. The results stand in a good agreement with our findings demonstrating strong antigenic relationships between various serum or colostral Igs of IgY and IgA types, respectively, to the chicken IgY. Therefore, the IgY-like Igs seem to be the precursors for the IgA class of mammals.