Intracellular Localization and Immunogenic Capacities of Phenotypic Products of Mouse Histocompatibility Genes

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Abstract
The products of the genes that control tissue compatibility within vertebrate species, the transplantation antigens, are expressed pheno-typically on cellular membranes. In fact, for an antigen to be classified as a transplantation antigen, it must be expressed on the exterior surface of cells. Interest in studying the biochemical properties of these antigens has been generated by the possibility that purified preparations of these antigens might be useful as therapeutic tools to encourage graft acceptance and the probability that in developing a technology for studying these antigens methods might become available to investigate the specific antigens associated with tumors. In addition to these two laudable objectives is the fact that transplantation antigens are now understood to be a special case of cell membrane antigens, whose use as membrane markers has permitted the quantum jump in appreciation of membrane structure currently described as “membrane fluidity” (Singer and Nicolson, 1972; Hendler, 1974a).