Abstract
Acetylated canine pericardium was known to disappear within one month when implanted in the subcutaneous tissues of dd-strain mice. Biodegradation was considered to be related with some immunological process, because of the heterogenecity of the canine pericardium, so that t his material was then applied to examine the process and mechanism of biodegradation.
The membrane was implanted subcutaneously on the back of dd-strain mice, immunosuppressed by thymectomy, anti-thymocyte serum, and 6-MP. This material was digested more rapidly in the non-immunosuppressed mice than in the immunosuppressed mice. From these facts it was assumed that some immunological process, humoral or cellular, might be involved in the process of biodegradation of heterologous acetylated canine pericardium
