Genetic Control of the Antibody Response: Relationship between Immune Response and Histocompatibility (H-2) Type

The immune responses of inbred mice to a related series of three synthetic polypeptide antigens are genetically controlled traits which are closely correlated with the genotype for the major histocompatibility (H-2) locus. All strains of the same H-2 type exhibit the same pattern of immune response, independent of the remainder of a given strain's genetic background. There is marked antigen-specific polymorphism between strains of different H-2 types with respect to their patterns of response.