Transplantation immunity in bone homografting.

The knowledge that homografts of many tissues have a limited period of survival, and the revival of the theory of tissue immunity (Gibson and Medawar 1943, Medawar 1944, 1945) makes it of interest to know how bone homografts compare with other tissues in this respect. Since 1878 homografts ofbone have been known to be clinically effective (Macewen 1912), and the introduction of the bone bank (Inclan 1942) has led to a great increase in their use. The role of tissue immunity reactions in bone homografting has received little attention until recently, and reliable information concerning cell survival and the source of bone formation in these clinically effective grafts is lacking. The present study was undertaken to determine whether homografts of bone behaved in the same way as those of other tissues with respect to cell survival and the production of transplantation immunity, and to consider the importance of such a reaction if found to be present.