Correlation between body and spleen weights in graft-versus-host reactions in the mouse

The results reported here show the correlation between spleen (S) and body (B) weights in normal mice. This correlation is relevant to calculation of the spleen index in the graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR). By linear regression analysis a calibration curve B/S = f(B) could be calculated. This calibration curve provides a more reliable estimate of the strength of the GVHR since it compensated for the biological variance of the control values. This method of calculation further offers the possibility of pooling litters of different size and age (0-4 days postpartum) without loss of information due to additional variables.