The fate of donor cells in fresh allografts of the patellar and anterior
cruciate ligaments was assessed after transplantation of the allografts as
substitutes for the anterior cruciate ligament in goats. DNA-probe analysis
was used to distinguish between the DNA of individual goats. Donor DNA was
completely replaced by recipient DNA in both the transplanted patellar and
anterior cruciate ligaments within a four-week period. Simultaneous
full-thickness skin transplants in the same animals were not rejected
during the interval of rapid loss of donor DNA from the allografts. The
absence of rejection of the skin grafts at the one-week interval suggests
that no pre-existing antibody associated with an immune reaction was
responsible for the rapid loss of DNA in the allografts.