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Historical Bibliography Updated: June 16, 2026

Quantitative studies of tissue transplantation immunity. IV. Induction of tolerance in newborn mice and studies on the phenomenon of Runt Disease.

Publication Details

Phil. Trans. B., 242, 439-477. 1959 CE.

First description of what became known as Graft-versus-host disease (GvDH). This the authors initially called "graft against host (GAH)." The authors cited three conditions, later known as the Billingham criteria, which must be met for GvHD to occur:

  • 'An immuno-competent graft is administered, with viable and functional immune cells.
  • The recipient is immunologically different from the donor – histo-incompatible.
  • The recipient is immunocompromised and therefore cannot destroy or inactivate the transplanted cells." (Wikipedia article on Graft-versus-host-disease, accessed 8-2021).
(Thanks to Juan Weiss for this reference and its interpretation.)

Thematic Classifications

Catalog MetadataReference Information
Entry Number#13526
Permanent Linkhttps://staging.historyofmedicine.com/entry/15803
Author Bio LinkWikipedia ↗
External URLquantitative-studies-of-tissue-transplanation-immunity-iv-induction-of-tolerance-in-newborn-mice-and-studies-on-the-phenomenon-of-runt-disease