Histocompatibility in the Rabbi Identification of the Major Locus¹²

Abstract

Cytotoxic antisera were produced either by skin graft exchange between related rabbits from the same partially inbred line or by graft exchange between rabbits from different inbreeding lines. By pedigree analysis and correlation with known antisera, these antisera were all shown to detect antigens controlled by a single locus. This locus has been assigned the symbol RL‐A. Skin grafts between siblings incompatible for the RL‐A were all rejected within twelve days, and graft survival time could not be prolonged with relatively mild immunosuppressive treatment with 6‐mercaptopurine. However, a significant number of grafts compatible for the RL‐A locus were maintained for twelve days or longer and graft survival time of compatible grafts could be significantly prolonged with mild immunosuppression, suggesting that the RL‐A locus is the major histocompatibility locus of the rabbit.