6533b86ffe1ef96bd12ce5e2

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Expression of Histocompatibility Antigens during the Growth Cycle of Cultured Lymphoid Cells

subject

description

Histocompatibility antigens are genetically determined markers which are located on plasma membranes of tissue cells of each member of a species. HL-A antigens are the gene products of the major histocompatibility locus in man and represent the human counterparts of the H-2, Ag-B, ChL-A and DL-A systems in mice, rats, chimpanzees and dogs, respectively (Palm, 1964; Snell and Stimpfling, 1966; Rapaport et al., 1970; Balner et al., 1971; Klein and Shreffler, 1971). The great interest in the serologic, genetic, chemical and immunological characterization of histocompatibility antigens is attributable to the fact they provide cell surface markers useful in selecting transplant donors and recipients. Although at present the role of HL-A antigens in transplantation is widely accepted, a certain degree of skepticism remains mostly among surgeons, largely because of the difficulty in predicting the fate of grafts between unrelated individuals by means of HL-A typing. The more recent interest in HL-A antigens focuses on their function in cell economy as well as on their molecular organization on cell membranes. Because of their strategic location, it appears that histocompatibility antigens may provide an excellent tool in the expanding studies directed towards the characterization of cell membranes. In this approach cultured lymphoid cells may be invaluable because they retain their histocompatibility antigen expression over long periods of time and are available in relatively large amounts (Bernoco et al., 1969; Papermaster et al., 1969; Rogentine and Gerber, 1969, 1970; Klein et al., 1970; Pellegrino et al., 1972b).