The nature of human isohemagglutinogens.

Abstract

In a previous communication on the nature of specific hemolysins, one of us¹ has dealt on the complexity of erythrocytes as antigen and endeavored to demonstrate that the cell stroma is the main, if not the sole source of hemolysinogens. In this paper, as a supplementary study, we have undertaken to demonstrate that isohemagglutinogens, in a similar way, originate in the cell stromata.

To obtain cell stromata in a more or less pure condition and individually from each of the four different types of bloods we used the same technique as discussed in our previous communication. In short it consists of: First, isolating the four types of erythrocytes. Samples of blood, left over from Wassermann reactions were used for this purpose. Second, filtering through gauze and centrifugalizing the saline suspension of broken clots. This step was repeated until the supernatant fluid was free of serum ingredients. Third, hemolyzing the final sediment in 0.45 per cent saline solution and sedimenting stromata by centrifugalization. To get rid of hemoglobin further sedimentations were done in physiological saline to avoid deterioration of cell stromata.

The final product, when examined under the mitroscope, should show the cell stromata intact, more or less globular, varying in size from that of a blood platelet to half the size of an erythrocyte and devoid of hemoglobin. Presence of hemoglobin means deficient “dehemoglobinization”, which will necessitate repetition of step three until dehemoglobinized cells (cell stromata) look almost transparent.