title: An association of hepatitis B (Australia) antigen with platelets.
abstract: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg, Australia antigen) was detected by radioimmunoassay in freeze-thaw lysates of washed platelets from HBsAg carriers. Incubation of platelets from an HBsAg-negative person with medium containing HBsAg resulted in the platelets becoming positive for HBsAg. We suggest that platelets may phagocytize HBsAg-coated particles, and this may be an important transport mechanism for the hepatitis B agent.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens