POSTPARABIOTIC TISSUE REACTIONS OF RABBITS TO MUSCULOFASCIAL CROSS-TRANSPLANTS

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Abstract
Twenty-five pairs of male rabbits of the same variety and strain were joined together in aural parabiosis for 13 to 15 days and then separated. Thirteen pairs of the separated parabiotic twins were surgically united for a second period of parabiosis, less successful than the first due to deficient healing and spontaneous separation of tissue in 5-15 days. Within 6-90 days after spontaneous or surgical separation of all para-bionts, the postparabiotic twins were cross-grafted with musculofascial transplants. After sacrifice, two weeks later, microscopic studies disclosed that either 1 or 2 periods of parabiosis resulted in the same persistent modification of classical host-homograft interactions. This modification was characterized by the replacement of the customary basic or sensitized homologous incompatibility reactions by a reaction of host-graft tolerance or indifference. The intense inflammatory aspects of the usual host-homograft interactions were absent. Penetration of the musculofascial graft by vascularized mesenchyme derived from the host was retarded,abnormal and unaccompanied by the customary proliferative, resorptive and reparative activities of admixed host and graft cells. These observations provide another means for increasing the probability of successful homografting between members of a genetically impure species.