The Antigenic Structure of Blood Platelets. II. Histocompatibility Antigens in Rabbit Blood Platelets

Abstract

Abstract The rejection time of skin homografts was measured in rabbits previously sensitized by one intradermal injection of homologous blood platelets which had been carefully prepared free of leukocytes. The graft rejection time was determined by gross inspection and based on the onset of definite signs of graft breakdown. In the platelet sensitized rabbits, the skin homografts from the platelet donors ("specific" grafts) were rejected significantly earlier than in nonsensitized animals in 42 per cent of the experiments. The homografts from animals other than the platelet donors ("nonspecific" grafts) were rejected sooner than normal in only 10 per cent of the experiments. The results were interpreted as demonstration that blood platelets contain histocompatibility antigens.