Detection of a fetal antigen on mouse erythroleukemic Friend cells

A fetal antigen, expressed on all fetal erythrocytes during normal ontogeny, was detected on Friend erythroleukemic cells but not on circulating erythrocytes from leukemic mice. Friend cells were shown to express the fetal antigen both by immunofluorescence and antiserum absorption. The fetal antigen thus allows a clearcut distinction between the tumoral step from which emerge the Friend and erythro-proliferative cells.