Abstract
Summary
The inhibition of bactericidal and hemolytic human serum reactions by addition of certain fractions from a pool of normal human serum has been analyzed. The fractions with major inhibitory effects for bactericidal reactions, namely γ-globulins, proved to be qualitatively different from those which inhibited immune hemolysis, namely β-globulins and albumin. The inhibitory effects of these serum fractions were not on the cells but on different components of the complement system; addition of -γ-globulin to whole serum affected C'2, whereas addition of β-globulin and albumin fractions affected principally C'4. Such differences have permitted identification of quantitative differences in requirements for components of complement by the hemolytic and bactericidal reactions. In addition, a qualitative difference in the requirement for lysozyme has been recognized.
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