Genetics of somatic cell surface antigens. III. Further analysis of the AL marker.

The AL antigen present on the surface of various human somatic cells, and on those hybrids of human and Chinese hamster ovary cells which have retained human chromosome number 11, has been resolved into at least two separate antigenic activities, a1 and a2. Specific antisera active against each antigen separately have been prepared. By treatment of the original AL+ hybrid with mutagenic agents and selection in particular antisera, stable clones are preparable whose phenotypic behavior corresponds to the antigenic compositions a1+ a2-, a1- a2+, and a1- a2-. The adsorption behavior of these variants for specific antisera is consistent with their phenotypic assignments.