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Development of the Fœtus in Female Rats injected with Homologous Heart Tissue

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Abstract

RECENT observation of the occurrence in human beings of auto-antibodies specific to heart tissue has given support to the hypothesis of an auto-immune ætiology in rheumatic fever, following myocardial infarction and postcardiotomy state1,2. In the rabbit, heart-specific antibodies have been produced readily against heterologous heart tissue and much less readily against homologous heart tissue3–5. While there is good evidence from clinical and experimental sources of the existence of antiheart antibodies whether from autologous, homologous or heterologous stimuli, there is considerable confusion as to the part they play in cytotoxic action on the heart. If antiheart antibodies are cytotoxic then they could readily influence developing embryonic heart tissue to produce either arrested growth with persistent anomalies or death. The possibility that such an immune (auto-immune) mechanism may play a part in the development of congenital heart disease seemed worthy of investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratories, Wesley Hospital, and Wesley Medical Research Foundation, Inc., Wichita, Kansas

    L. P. CAWLEY, ADETA RINER & CLIFFORD P. HOUSER

Authors
  1. L. P. CAWLEY
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  2. ADETA RINER
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  3. CLIFFORD P. HOUSER
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CAWLEY, L., RINER, A. & HOUSER, C. Development of the Fœtus in Female Rats injected with Homologous Heart Tissue. Nature 197, 1307–1309 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/1971307b0

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