Detection, separation and characterization of organ specific antigens of human thrombocytes.

By means of rabbit anti-human thrombocyte antibodies, two organ specific antigens of human thrombocytes were detected. Both antigens were found to be specific for human thrombocytes and did not cross-react with thrombocyte antigens of other species. Separation and purification of the antigens were achieved by ion exchange chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Thrombocyte specific antigens. Detection of organ specific antigens by heterospecific anti-thrombocyte serum.

Rabbit and chicken anti-human thrombocyte sera absorbed exhaustively with human plasma, fibrinogen, erythrocytes, leucocytes and liver powder, were used for the investigation of organ specific antigens of human thrombocytes. The absorbed chicken anti-human thrombocyte serum revealed a very high agglutinating and fluorescence activity, which aided the characterization of two different types of organ-specific antigens of thrombocytes: antigens common to human and animal platelets, and antigens specific for human platelets only. The two types of antigens were found in all platelet fractions examined, the membrane, granule and soluble fractions.