Elucidation of the major histocompatibility system of the pig

This thesis describes a project in which the major histocompatibility system of Australian domestic pigs was elucidated for the first time. Reagents for the serological detection of Class I MHC antigens on lymphocytes were raised by immunizing almost 100 pigs with small pieces of skin taken from the ears of closely related animals. A highly sensitive and reproducible micro-test system was developed for the lymphocyte typing of over 400 pigs and it appeared that at least 10 MHC antigens were defined. In the course of typing these animals, a survey was conducted on the results of over 420 matings to investigate whether a state of histoincompatibility between parents is conducive to reproductive efficiency in this species. No significant trends were revealed from this particular survey, but the project has paved the way for a substantial variety of fascinating future research