A Study of the Blood Groups of the Rabbit, with reference to the Inheritance of Three Antigens, and the Agglutinability of the Red Cells Carrying Them

Abstract

1. Kellner and Hedal's antigen G is identical with Heard's antigen Z, and similarly g with Y. 2. Kellner & Hedal's (1953) conclusion that all rabbits must possess at least one of the antigens G or g was found not to be true of animals in this stock. Animals lacking both antigens were found to possess Heard's antigen W. 3. Z, Y and W form an allelomorphic trio. 4. Heard's evidence strongly suggests that the most agglutinable cells have more antigen sites (for the antibody in question), than less agglutinable cells. Evidence provided here shows that in the case of the Z and Y antigens homozygous cells are more agglutinable than heterozygous cells, and therefore probably have more sites of the Z or Y antigens respectively. Also the number of Y antigen sites is greater in Y Z than in Y W cells. It was not possible to demonstrate a similar difference for Z between Z Y and Z W cells. 5. It is suggested that the notation of this allelomorphic trio in rabbits should be standardized as follows: Ga=Kellner & Hedal's G and Heard's Z; Gb=Kellner & Hedal's g and Heard's Y; Gc=Heard's W.