The Effect of Site of Implantation on Host Reaction to Ovarian Homografts.

A method of orthotopic ovarian grafting in a stock of hooded rats has been described. Intra-strain grafts were established in ten out of eighteen animals and six of these were fertile. Four fertile rats were killed during their first pregnancy but two others kept for 120 and 154 days had several litters of normal size. When ovarian tissue from donors from a stock of albino rats was implanted orthotopically into hooded recipients all the grafts were overwhelmed by homo-graft reaction within 24 days. However, both inter- and intra-strain grafts persisted in the subcutaneous site. Factors affecting the establishment and fertility of the intra-strain orthotopic grafts have been discussed and an explanation for the difference in host response to incompatible grafts according to the site of implantation has been suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]