The gene for the Leu-M2 (Mac-120) antigen is located on human chromosome 11.

Leu-M2 (Mac-120) antigen is a cell-surface marker present on a subpopulation of human blood monocytes and platelets. Its expression on monocytes and macrophages is necessary for their ability to present antigen to T lymphocytes. Only Leu-M2+ cells display the human Ia-like determinant, HLA-DS, which seems important in antigen presentation and stimulation in the autologous MLR. Expression of the Leu-M2/Mac-120 antigen was studied by indirect immunofluorescence analysis and flow cytofluorometry in mouse-human somatic cell hybrids segregating human chromosomes. In the mouse-human hybrid clones, expression of the Leu-M2/Mac-120 antigen was dependent on the presence of human chromosome 11. This was verified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting of heterogeneous hybrid cell populations into antigen-positive and-negative fractions. The Leu-M2 antigen co-segregated with chromosome 11. The gene controlling the expression of the Leu-M2/Mac-120 antigen thus is assigned to human chromosome 11.