Abstract
Discussion and Summary
A 4% concentration of the ascarid polysaccharide added to human serums reduces the α and β agglutinins to a zero titer. 1 The results presented above indicated that the polysaccharide, when added to human serums at the same concentration at which it inhibits the α and β agglutinins, has no effect on anti-Rh, anti-M, anti-N, and on cold agglutinins. Thus, its action may be regarded as specific for α and β agglutinins. The fact that a polysaccharide with similar properties has been isolated from other parasites 2 suggests that certain infectious agents may have a closer relationship to human isoagglutinogens than is known at present.
The specific action of the ascarid polysaccharide may be used to advantage in the preparation of anti-Rh, anti-M, and anti-N serums that require the absorption of the α and β agglutinins. This is particularly true in human serums with anti-Rh agglutinins, where the α and β agglutinins have to be removed so that the serum could be used to detect Rh-positive or Rh-negative cells.
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