Antigenicity of Connective Tissue Extracts.

Abstract

Complement-fixing antibodies and agar gel precipitins to connective tissue from rabbit tendons have been induced in the guinea pig. Connective tissue extracts from aged rabbits had greater antigenicity than from young animals. Anticonnective tissue serum crossreacted with the cytoplasmic fraction of rabbit leukocytes, but not with the leukocyte nuclei. The injected guinea pigs failed to gain weight and their fur became sparse. Pathological studies of this syndrome and chemical studies of the antigenic component of connective tissue are under way.