Separation of 'Species' and Major Histocompatability Antigen in the Rat.

Soluble extracts of rat lymphoid cells were characterized in order to determine the physical relationship between the major histocompatibility (Ag-B) antigen and species or xenoantigen. Antigenic determinants recognized by rabbit anti-rat antiserum were separated from those recognized by alloantiserum by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and selective immunoabsorption. Thus, this species antigen and major H antigen are present as separate molecules on the membrane of rat lymphoid cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]