BLOOD GROUPS OF TURKEYS’

In any study of blood groups, there are two primary objectives: ( 1 ) the development of antisera or typing fluids which will disclose intraspecific differences in red cell antigens, and (2) the classification of those differences with respect to genetic systems of blood groups. In the present study, the first of these objectives differed little from the approach used in the studies of blood groups in cattle and sheep in that both isoimmune and heteroimmune antisera were used as sources of typing fluids. (For references to the literature on blood groups in other animals, attention is called to the 1962 Conference on Blood Groups in Infrahuman Specie.) Isoimmunizations: Preliminary isoimmunization of 47 turkeys resulted in the production of seven antisera from which reagents for five blood factors named A, B. C, D and E were prepared. Those reagents were then used to type a large group of turkeys from which donor-recipient combinations were chosen for further isoimmunizations. The birds were paired in such a way that some would he expected to produce anti-A, others anti-B, and so on. Some were paired in such a manner that none of the known antibodies would be expected as, for example, the use of a donor of type DE in immunizing a recipient of type ADE. Because of their greater volume of blood and uniformly low level of serum lipids, male turkeys were used almost exclusively as recipients. Although these birds were predominantly Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys, some were Beltsville Small Whites and a few were F , hybrids of Meleagris gallopavo and M . ocellata. Further descriptions of these strains and hybr:ds may be found in papers by CARSON, LORENZ and ASMUNDSON (1955). JOHNSON and ASMUNDSON (1957) and LORENZ, ASMUNDSON and WILSON (1956). Injections were made with 25 percent suspensions of washed r-d cells. In the first series of isoimmunizations, the intervals between injections were 3 to 4 days. In the subsequent series, the interval was lengthened to 7 days. The first injxtion (5 ml of cell suspension) was usually intravenous. The second injection (5 ml) was intraperitoneal. The third and subsequent injections, all of 3 ml quantities, were intravenous. Injections were usually continued only until the titer of isoagglutinins was sufficiently high (at least 1:8) to warrant collection of antisera. Some birds from which antisera were collected between one and two weeks were continued on the immunization schedule. However, if there was no response after 8 weeks, the injections were discontinued. All blocd was collected either in citrate solution (2 percent trisodium citrate plus 0.5 percent NaC1) used in a ratio 1:4 or ALSEVER’S solution used in a ratio of 1:l . T o remove fibrin, all