1974 Volume 112 Issue 1 Pages 25-34
Rat specific thymocyte antigen (RSTA) was detected by the heterologous antiserum (ATS) raised in rabbit against the soluble antigen from the rat thymocyte membrane fraction. Quantitative absorption studies revealed that thymus cells could absorb the reactivity of ATS, but spleen cells, lymphnode cells and bone marrow cells showed little absorbing activity. Liver, kidney, red blood cells and skin had no absorbing activity, while the brain could react with the ATS, suggesting that brain had a common antigenic activity with thymocytes. As the brain tissue of mice had no such reactivity, the common antigenicity is considered to be species-specific. RSTA could be detected in the thymus of rats after 10 days of age. Cortisone treatment had drastically decreased the size of thymus and decreased the number of thymocytes to 5% which had no sensitivity to ATS. Therefore it is suggested that RSTA is located in the cortical cells of the thymus.
