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Antibodies to α-Foetoprotein cause Foetal Mortality in Rabbits

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Abstract

α-FOETOPROTEiNS (AFP) have been observed in the serum of all mammalian species so far studied1,2. In the rabbit AFP constitutes about 33% of the total serum protein on day 20 of gestation and reaches a peak concentration around days 24 to 26 (ref. 3). This ontogenic pattern is similar to that of the rat where maximum concentration is also reached late in gestation, but differs from the human where a steady decline occurs after the first trimester4,5. Although considerable interest has attached to the reappearance of AFP in the serum of adult animals and human patients with hepatocellular cancer6–9, little attention has been given to the possible role of this protein in normal development. The preliminary experiments reported here were designed to investigate this aspect by selectively neutralising AFP in vivo with specific antibodies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth

    B. SLADE

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  1. B. SLADE
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SLADE, B. Antibodies to α-Foetoprotein cause Foetal Mortality in Rabbits. Nature 246, 493–494 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/246493a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/246493a0

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