Comparison of the A‐B‐H Blood Group Specificities and M‐N Blood Types in Man, Gibbons (<i>Hylobates</i>), and Siamangs (<i>Symphalangus</i>)

Abstract

Bloods from a total of 57 gibbons (52 Hylobates lar lar , four Hylobates lar pileatus , and one Hylobates hoolock ) and two siamang apes ( Symphalangus brachytanites ) have been tested for human‐type A‐B‐H, M‐N, and Rh‐Hr blood factors. Croups A, B, and AB have been identified in these apes but not group O, and three types corresponding to the human types M, N and MN have been found. All the apes tested gave reactions corresponding to type rh. Tests with anti‐H lectin on gibbon red cells showed a very strong association of this blood factor with red cells of group B, in contrast to the situation in man where factor H is strongly associated with groups O and A 2 . Corresponding to each of the human agglutinogens M and N are multiple different antisera of specificities anti‐M and anti‐N, of which only particular reagents can be used for M‐N typing of gibbons blood. Findings are also described which demonstrate the usefulness of lectins for A 1 , H and N blood factors in studies on individual blood differences in man and other primates, as well as of certain bean extracts for demonstrating species‐specific differences among primates.