I. House Dust Allergens. II. Experiments on the Distensibility of the Excised Rabbit Bladder

Citation

Vannier, Wilton Emile (1958) I. House Dust Allergens. II. Experiments on the Distensibility of the Excised Rabbit Bladder. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/TMHA-9268. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-01262006-102957

Abstract

Part I: The problem of the nature of house dust allergens has been investigated by studying the chemical and physical properties of active fractions of aqueous dust extracts. The fractions consisted largely of a heterogeneous mixture of acidic polysaccharides and in lesser amounts a polypeptide component (2-30%), probably linked to the polysaccharides. The polysaccharides contained uronic acid (probably mostly glucuronic acid), D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose and L-rhamnose and lesser amounts of a number of pentoses. Nitrogen free active polysaccharide fractions have not been obtained. The most purified active fraction contained 0.4% nitrogen. The relation between the chemical and physical properties of the fractions and current ideas of the origin of the dust allergens was discussed. Part II: Rabbit bladder stretching curves under constant pressure have been studied. A method, involving the use of eserine and acetylcholine, has been found to restretch the same bladder and obtain reproducible curves. The effect of temperature and epinephrine upon the bladder stretching curves was investigated.

Thesis Files