In the late 1950s however, the works of three scientists—Jerne, Talmage and Burnet (who largely modified the theory)—gave rise to the clonal selection theory, which proved all the elements of Ehrlich's hypothesis except that the specific receptors that could neutralize the agent were soluble and not membrane-bound.
Porén, a finais da década de 1950, os traballos de tres científicos: Jerne, Talmage e Burnet (que modificaron amplamente a teoría inicial), deron lugar á teoría da selección clonal, que probou todos os elementos da hipótese de Ehrlich excepto que os receptores específicos que podían neutralizar o axente eran solubles e non estaban unidos a membranas.