The traditional and a new version of the mouse H–2 complex

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Abstract
The H–2 complex has traditionally been interpreted as a maze of regions, subregions and loci coding for different traits. The two main theses presented here are, first, that a single H–2 locus is pleiomorphic in that it controls several functions such as allograft rejection, cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity, mixed lymphocyte reaction, immune response, immune suppression and restriction of T-cell specificity; and second, that the physiological f unction of the H–2 complex is to guide T lymphocytes in theirfunction of distinguishing self from non-self, and that all other H–2-controlled traits are artificial derivatives of this basic function. These two theses lead to a new, simplified interpretation of the H–2 complex.