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Five allotypes, Lpm 1, Lpm 2, Lpm 3, Lpm 4, and Lpm 5, were detected by isoimmunization in mink sera. Immunoelectrophoresis, preparative ultracentrifugation, and histochemical tests for lipids and esterase permitted reference of these alloantigenic markers to a very high density a2-lipoprotein. Based on population analysis and breeding tests, five genetic units are postulated: Lpm1, Lpm4, Lpm3,4, Lpm1,2, and Lpm2,4,5. These units determine the polymorphism of the Lpm system and behave as Mendelian alleles.

By means of alloimmunization of mink, two new antigens, Lpm-7 and Lpm-8, were detected in their sera. Lpm-7 and Lpm-8 allospecificities were referred to a very high density a2-lipoprotein (Lpm) by the following criteria: histochemical tests, immunoelectrophoresis, preparative ultracentrifugation, and coalescence of alloprecipitates with heteroprecipitates in double diffusion tests. Genetic analysis indicated that Lpm-7 and Lpm-8, together with the earlier described Lpm-1, Lpm-2, Lpm-3, Lpm-4, and Lpm-5, share a common immunogenetic system. Polymorphism for the seven markers is conditioned by the genetic units Lpm8, Lpm4, Lpm4, 8, Lpm4, 7, Lpm3, 4, 8, Lpm1, 8, Lpm1, 2, 7, and Lpm2, 4, 5, 7, which behave as alleles. Of these units, the latter six are probably haploid sets of closely linked genes.