Major histocompatibility complex restriction and cross-priming of H-Y antigen in rats.

Although female rats can be sensitized to H-Y-incompatible male skin isografts following exposure to MHC-incompatible male lymphoid cells, these cells are not as effective as MHC-compatible male cells. Evidence is presented that the effectiveness of the MHC-incompatible cells is a consequence of crosspriming and that such crosspriming only occurs if these cells are rejected.