THE DISTRIBUTION IN THE TISSUES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF H-2 ANTIGENS OF THE MOUSE

Abstract

Histocompatibility-2 antigens are not present in embryonic tissue nor in newborn A/Sn mice. They appear about the 3rd day after birth and increase in quantity in the tissues until about 6 days after birth, when they reach a concentration similar to that found in adults. In tissues from adult animals, H-2 antigens are distributed heterogeneously; large quantities are found in the spleen and liver, but skin and kidney contain medium amounts. Muscle and testis have small quantities and the brain has no detectible amount of H-2 antigens.