EXPRESSION OF BLOOD GROUP-A ANTIGENS IN HUMAN-BONE MARROW-CELLS

Abstract

The appearance of blood group A-activity during hematopoiesis in human bone marrow cells was studied by the use of the blood group A-specific lectin from Vicia cracca. Cells that bound the lectin were identified using antiserum against the lectin followed by rosetting with protein A-containing Staphylococcus aureus cells. Only cells of the erythroid lineage from blood group A individuals formed staphylococcal rosettes. A-activity occurred in basophilic normoblasts and later stages of erythropoiesis; pronormoblasts were negative. The appearance of blood group A-activity coincided roughly with the onset of Hb synthesis and slightly later than the expression of the major sialoglycoprotein of erythrocytes, glycophorin A. Glycophorin A did not contain blood group A-activity when analyzed by immunoprecipitation and gel electrophoresis.