Susceptibility to cleft palate and the major histocompatibility complex (H-2) in the mouse

The congenic mouse strains B10 and B10.A differ genetically only at the H-2 locus, B10 having the H-2b and B10.A the H-2a haplotype. The two strains also differ in susceptibility to cortisone-induced cleft palate, B10 being more resistant than B10.A. Since stage of palate closure is also associated with susceptibility to cortisone-induced cleft palate it was postulated that the H-2 haplotype may affect the cortisone-induced cleft palate susceptibility by altering the stage of palate closure. The present study shows that palate closure occurs at the same stage in the two strains, so this hypothesis must be rejected.