Local synthesis seems to be decisive for the selective secretion of 19S immunoglobulin M into parotid secretions. The "transport piece" is apparently not involved in the secretion of immunoglobulin M, for there is no association between the two components. The possible significance of the normal association of transport piece with secreted immunoglobulin A remains to be clarified.

Oral bacteria become coated with immunoglobulin A in human saliva in vivo. This may indicate that the salivary immunoglobulin A possesses antibacterial activity. Some of the immunoglobulin-coated cocci grow in extremely long chains and exhibit synchronous cell division. The long chain phenomenon may result from growth in the presence of salivary antibody specific to antigenic determinants of the bacterial cell walls.

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