What method may be used to determine histocompatibility and immune response when evaluating transgenic mouse strains?

What method may be used to determine histocompatibility and immune response when evaluating transgenic mouse strains?

• A. Skin grafts are accepted or rejected by the animal
• B. Performing a bacterial culture on agar
• C. Detecting viral antibodies with ELISA tests at two week intervals
• D. Performing serology to verify immunocompetence

Answer: (A)

Testing histocompatibility and immune response is best assessed by grafting skin between individuals with different histocompatibility antigens and observing acceptance or rejection. In mice, differences in histocompatibility antigens (MHC in humans, H-2 in mice) trigger an alloimmune reaction. If the recipient’s immune system recognizes the donor tissue as foreign, the graft will be rejected within a predictable timeframe; if there’s tolerance or immunodeficiency, the graft may survive longer or indefinitely. This direct graft response provides clear information about both histocompatibility and the functional status of the immune system in transgenic strains. The other options don’t test this specific alloimmune reaction: growing bacteria on agar shows general microbial viability; measuring viral antibodies by ELISA at intervals assesses exposure history rather than tissue compatibility; and serology to verify immunocompetence indicates overall immune status but not the specific ability to mount a tissue-specific graft rejection.

Testing histocompatibility and immune response is best assessed by grafting skin between individuals with different histocompatibility antigens and observing acceptance or rejection. In mice, differences in histocompatibility antigens (MHC in humans, H-2 in mice) trigger an alloimmune reaction. If the recipient’s immune system recognizes the donor tissue as foreign, the graft will be rejected within a predictable timeframe; if there’s tolerance or immunodeficiency, the graft may survive longer or indefinitely. This direct graft response provides clear information about both histocompatibility and the functional status of the immune system in transgenic strains.

The other options don’t test this specific alloimmune reaction: growing bacteria on agar shows general microbial viability; measuring viral antibodies by ELISA at intervals assesses exposure history rather than tissue compatibility; and serology to verify immunocompetence indicates overall immune status but not the specific ability to mount a tissue-specific graft rejection.