Canine Liver Homotransplants

Abstract

With homografts of various tissues and organs, systemic histologic changes in the host animal are not usually detectable. Recently, however, in studying whole-organ homografts of the canine liver, widespread changes which were coincident with rejection were found in host organs.⁶The changes consisted of round cell infiltration and mesenchymal tissue proliferation. They were found in bone marrow, lung, kidney, and other tissue and organs which are constituents of the reticuloendothelial system. From the information available, it was not possible to determine if these changes were part of an exaggerated host-versus-graft rejection process, or if they resulted from an attempt by the graft to repudiate the host (graft-versus-host reaction). In the present report, an attempt was made to study this point by rendering either the graft or host animal incapable of immunologic activity by preoperative ionizing irradiation. Methods Adult mongrel dogs weighing 15 to 20 kg. were used. The animals