SEROLOGICAL STUDIES OF MONOCLONAL RH1(D) ANTIBODIES WITH RH1(D) VARIANTS

In this paper we chose to emphasize three aspects of our work. First w e underlined that ''low grade and high grade'' D weak red blood cells studied at the DNA level could, when monoclonal antibodies were used, give patterns of positive and negative reactions like partial RH1(D) c ells. Secondly, we showed the importance of the technical conditions o f the study which are essential for establishing a pattern of reactivi ty defining an epitope. It appears that the use of papain treated cell s at room temperature can be misleading for the definition of epitope especially with IgM antibodies. Lastly we pointed out the interest of Ph variant cells, defined at the gene level, to study the expression o f RH1(D) epitopes on the external part of the membrane.