Distribution of Nephric Antigens in Australian Vertebrates

Abstract

NOTABLE improvements in immunohistological techniques and the availability of a new fauna prompted us to apply anti-kidney sera previously described¹ to further studies of the species distribution of kidney-specific antigens. We used two sera prepared by immunizing rabbits with microsomal material from human and hamster kidneys respectively, and examined their cross-reactivity with the kidneys of other species by immunofluorescence². Contrary to the earlier reports that cross-reactions are limited to mammals, birds and fish, we found that both sera cross-reacted with all kidneys examined from vertebrates of every class. There was also some cross-reaction with seminal vesicle epithelium in the few species studied.