Peritoneal Exudate Intraperitoneal administration of antigen and adjuvant is often used in rodents to obtain high titered reagent or monoclonal antibodies. The undesirable side effects of painful abdominal distention associated with development of the peritoneal exudate can be readily avoided by daily monitoring and relieving ascites pressure as appropriate. Inadvertent ocular exposure can lead to blindness. Use two sterile luer-lock syringes joined by a stopcock to prepare the emulsion. Wear safety glasses.
Most adjuvants incorporate two components.
One component forms a deposit to protect the antigen from catabolism. The second component is a nonspecific stimulant which acts by increasing the amount of lymphokines present. Lymphokines directly stimulate the activity of antigen processing cells, causing a local inflammatory reaction at the injection site. As a general suggestion, CFA should be used for weakly immunogenic compounds or for small amounts of immunogen. Several other synthetic, non-inflammatory adjuvants are available which may offer advantages in some situations.