SURVIVAL OF BODY WALL AUTOGRAPHS, ALLOGRAFTS, AND XENOGRAFTS IN EARTHWORM EISENIA-FOETIDA

It is acknowledged that autografts of Eisenia foetida body wall are accepted by their hosts. Allografts, however, have not been found to be accepted, although macroscopic observation of these might suggest they are, possibly owing to fusion of grafts and host epidermal cells. All xenografts eventually fail. Histological studies show that both allografts and xenografts were isolated from hosts, invaded, absorbed, and replaced with collagen. Statistical analyses of results from multiple transfers of xenografts show no evidence of hosts producing a heightened response of any nature to a second challenge of the same antigen. © 1978.