HLA EXPRESSION ON HUMAN GERMINAL CELLS

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Ejaculated human seminal plasma cells obtained from 46 healthy men and 48 infertile patients were tested for expression of HLA class I and II antigens by complement‐mediated cytotoxicity, cell‐binding radioimmunoassay (CB‐RIA), and an ELISA involving monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In a group of healthy men tested for HLA expression on human spermatozoa, 4 of 46 were positive for class I and II HLA antigens. However, the results were negative in a second examination of the same donors, possibly on account of alterations with time in the expression of various subpopulations of cells which are antigen positive or antigen negative. In a group of infertile patients, we found positive expression of HLA class I and II antigens in 7 of 48 men. The samples contained immature and mature sperm but no contaminating leucocytes or epithelial cells.