Complement-fixing Isoantibodies in Mice.

INVESTIGATION of components of the H-2 antigen system in mice has been pursued in vitro by the methods of haemagglutination (Gorer and Mikulska, 1954), haemolysis (Hildemann, 1957), leucocyte agglutination (Amos, 1953), and cytotoxicity (Gorer and O'Gorman, 1956). Gorer and Amos (1956) demonstrated that passive immunity against the C57BL leukosis E.L.4 could be afforded not only by H-2 antibodies, but that antibodies directed against a further antigen which they named X had a protective effect. Attempts to demostrate cytotoxic antibodies against X in vitro have been unsuccessful. This work was undertaken to decide whether complement fixation would be a suitable method for tile detection of antibodies against X, and to provide data on its use for the study of the H-2 system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]