Immunologic relations among various animal collagens.

By the use of complement fixation and in vivo immunofluorescence with cross-absorption studies it was shown that acid soluble collagens prepared from rat, mouse, guinea pig, chicken, carp, and man exhibit species specificity. Rat and mouse collagens were found to be indistinguishable and to cross-react with guinea pig collagen. Cross-reactions also occurred between the collagens of rat and man and chicken and man. Tissue specificity, or an antigen common to all of the collagens, was not demonstrated. There was complete agreement in the results of the two immunologic methods. The findings in this study support the conclusion that collagen in some form is present in the renal glomerular basement membranes.