Sensitivity of Females of the C Stock to Male Infection with the Mammary Tumor Agent.

Abstract

Females of the agent-free, but susceptible C (Bagg albino) stock remained free of mammary cancer after they were bred with males of the C strain and with males of another stock lacking the mammary tumor agent (MTA). However, when they were mated with males of high cancerous strains, differences were noted in the ability of the males of these strains to transfer the agent and infect the C females. After C females were mated with males of the cancerous Z(C3H) strain, over 50% of the females developed mammary cancer, and the same incidence was observed in females with amputated uterine horns as in intact litter-mate controls. The source of the agent may be of some significance in male transmission experiments.'' In some experiments, only preliminary data could be reported in the hybrids.