Experimental Erythroblastosis Fetalis in Rabbits

Abstract

Female rabbits became immunized during pregnancy to the rabbit blood group factors G or g in five out of ten instances in which the red cells of the fetuses carried one of the factors absent in the mother. Antibodies so produced were of low titer and disappeared in all cases within 6 weeks after the birth of the litter. Repeated pregnancies did not result in additive increases in titer. Antibodies to the G-g factors, whether produced by the injection of red cells or by pregnancy, crossed the placenta readily from mother to fetus and were found at birth (and prior to nursing) associated with the red cells and in the serum of the fetuses. The rabbit placenta appeared to be equally permeable to the agglutinating and coating antibodies. The implications of these findings and their relation to the pathogenesis of erythroblastosis fetalis are briefly touched upon.

Ultrasound-Guided Cardiac Blood Sampling of the Rabbit Fetus

“…These investigators were successful in alloimmunizing adult rabbit dams by repeated intra vascular injections of incompatible red blood cells. In a subsequent publication, the trans placental passage of this antibody was demon strated [8]. Litters born to sensitized dams were noted to exhibit a strongly positive direct Coombs reaction when the red cells of the pups were incompatible with the maternal blood type.…”

Structural changes in the small intestine associated with the uptake of polyvinyl pyrrolidone by the young ferret, rabbit, guinea‐pig, cat and chicken

“…These findings may appear surprising in view of the usually accepted absence in this species either of postnatal antibody transfer (Brambell, 1958) or of absorption of isotopically labelled yglobulin (Hemmings, cited by Brambell, 1958). However, Kellner & Hedal (1953) demonstrated that y-globulin could pass from the intestine into the circulation during the first day of suckling at least, while Kozlovskaia (1957) has shown the absorption of specific antibodies during the first 5-10 days 681 RUFUS M. CLARKE AND R. N. HARDY after birth. Furthermore, Kraehenbuhl, Gloor & Blanc (1967) reported histological evidence for the presence of ferritin in the vessels of the lamina propria following the introduction of this protein into the intestinal lumen, although they were unable to demonstrate ferritin in the peripheral circulation.…”

“…The reports of Kellner & Hedal (1953) and Kozlovskaia (1957), that specific antibodies pass into the circulation, may be attributed to the relative acceptability of these molecules to an intracellular selection mechanism determining extrusion from the cell, a mechanism which totally rejects such substances as PVP and peroxidase.…”

The Experimental Production of Erythroblastosis Foetalis in Rabbits

“…The passage of maternal iso-antibodies into the circulation of the foctal rabbit has been coiifirxiicd by Branibell and his co-workers, who showed that the route taken is not traiisplaceiital. In the carly part of prcgiiaiicy it is by the bilaminar oniphalopleur aiid yolk sac (Brambell, Hcmmiiigs aiid Rowlands, 1948), and in later pregiiaiicy by traversing the utcriiie lumen and yolk sac splanchnoplcur to reach the vitalline circulation (Branibell, Hcmmings, Henderson, Parry and Rowlands, 1949).Reports of uiisucccssful attempts to produce erythroblastosis foetalis in rabbits are discusscd below, but it should be stated here that Kellner and Hedal (1952) have issucd a preliminary report upoii the successful production of the experimental condition. I am, however, uiiaware of any report which describes the changes in the affected animals.In the present invcstigatioii, adult doe rabbits were iso-immunized with red cells of suitable blood groups, and wcre then mated with selected bucks.…”

“…Reports of uiisucccssful attempts to produce erythroblastosis foetalis in rabbits are discusscd below, but it should be stated here that Kellner and Hedal (1952) have issucd a preliminary report upoii the successful production of the experimental condition. I am, however, uiiaware of any report which describes the changes in the affected animals.…”