1. Histocompatibility antigens Our understanding of several chronic diseases has recently been increased by the discovery that there is a genetic component to their development. This has been shown by demonstrating that certain histocompatibility antigens have an association with particular diseases. Histocompatibility (HLA) antigens are cell-surface components present in the membrane of most, but not all, cells in varying amounts. For practical purposes in humans, leucocytes are used to identify these antigens: indeed they were the source of the first tissue antigens recognized and gave their name to the system: HLA system-human leucocyte antigen system
2. Further confirmation of the striking relationship between HLA-B8 and myasthenia gravis was obtained by an analysis of 56 cases which included seven Negro and Indian patients.47 In these two races HLA-B8 is quite uncommon yet the three young females were all HLA-B8 positive. Patients in the group were also subdivided on the basis of their thymic pathology. Although the number of cases was small it appeared that it was females with thymic hyperplasia in whom,16
3. This work was confirmed in the 1977 histocompatibility workshop'03 where HLA antigens and thymic pathology were compared in 106
4. Tumours of the thyroid gland in relation to some general concepts of neoplasia;Smithers, D.W.;J Radiol,1959
5. Search for a neuromuscular blocking agent in the blood of patients with myasthenia gravis;Nastuk, W.L.; Strauss, A.J.L.; Osserman, K.E.;Am J Med,1959