POPULATION STUDIES OF ALLOGRAFT REJECTION IN THE NEWT, DIEMICTYLUS VIRIDESCENS

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Abstract
Intra- and inter-population skin grafting together with an analysis of antigen sharing involving 3rd-party test grafts reveal that there is widespread sharing of histocompatibility antigens among newts (Diemictylus) from several geographical locations; there is a substantial diversity of histocompatibility genes distinguishing individuals within each population; there is no "strong" H-2 type of complex locus involved in graft rejection in newts from any of the populations analyzed; and allograft rejection, even when relatively rapid, is referable to multiple "weak" histocompatibility genes which may have cumulative effects. The high incidence of acute and subacute rejections in 1 population indicates that the chronic reactions characteristic of these species are not attributable to a deficient immune response capacity.