Immunochemical properties of embryonic and adult specific antigens of chicken erythrocytes

Erythrocytes from chicken embryos or from adult chicken were surface-labelled with ¹²⁵I, using lactoperoxidase. The solubilized membrane material was allowed to react with antisera raised in rabbits to one or the other type of chicken erythrocyte, and rendered specific by treatment with unlabelled membrane preparation of heterologous erythrocytes. The immune complexes formed were subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in dissociating buffer and the dried gels were autoradiographed. The embryonic antigenicity is associated with a single molecule of molecular weight 48 000 D, whereas the adult antigenicity involves two polypeptides, of 85 000 and 40 000 D.