ABSTRACT
Most natural rubber (99%) is derived from the latex (milky sap) of the commercial rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. The basic functional unit of latex is the spherical droplet (5 nm-3 µm) of polyisoprene which is coated with protein, lipid and phospholipid. One of the most important surface proteins that helps in polymerization of the basic units is prenyltransferase. Other important proteins in latex include hevein and hevamine. The antigenicity of latex has been characterized using immunochemical techniques and electrophoresis, and these are summarized in Table 11.1. Among more than 200 polypeptides present in natural rubber latex, about 60 were found to bind to IgE from sensitized patients.
