Immunological Characterization of HeLa Cell Subpopulations Enriched for Blood Group H or Its Precursor 1

Summary

Purified HeLa cell subpopulations positive or negative for the H blood group antigen were obtained from H-positive/H-negative mixtures using velocity cell separation on an albumin gradient. The identity of H antigen or its anti-pneumococ-cal type XIV reactive precursor was demonstrated on fixed cells by fluorescent labeling experiments. H-negative cells reacted better when treated with rabbit anti-pneu-mococcal type XIV antibodies and fluores-cein-labeled anti-rabbit serum than when tested for H antigen using a triple sandwich method. Reciprocal findings were demonstrated with H-positive cells.

The authors wish to thank Doctor Victor Nussen-zweig and Dr. Michael Heidelberger for reviewing this manuscript and for volunteering constructive comments.