Correlation of mixed lymphocyte reactivity and skin graft rejection in nonhuman primates

One-way mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) reactivity and skin graft rejection were investigated to assess immune competence and histocompatibility in the baboon, the cebus monkey, and the cotton-topped marmoset. Adequate and comparable cell-mediated immunity was demonstrated. MLN reactions revealed strong histocompatibility differences among the three primate species and stimulating alloantigens for unrelated individuals of each species. Xenogeneic skin grafts survived nine days and allogeneic grafts, an average of 11 days. These systems appear readily applicable for assessing histocompatibility in nonhuman primates.