Genetics of histocompatibility in mice

Abstract

The H-Y antigen and minor H antigens defined by eight C57BL/6By (B6) congenic mouse strains were studied for their distribution among 13 different tissues. Antigen expression was detected by implanting B6 recipients with organ fragments from congenic strain donors that had been previously grafted with B6 bone marrow to minimize the number of allogeneic passenger leukocytes. Successfully immunized recipients were identified by the enlargement of their popliteal lymph nodes following footpad challenge with spleen cells of the donor type. No two strains had identical patterns of expression of their distinguishing antigens. The data provide evidence for differences in levels of minor H-antigen expression among different tissues.