Lacrimal immunoglobulins and complement quantified by counter-immunoelectrophoresis

Immunoglobulin and complement concentrations of tears were measured using a sensitive electroimmunodiffusion assay. In the 13 subjects tested, the predominant immunoglobulin was secretory IgA (mean concentration 107 mug/mg protein; standard error of mean 15; n equal 17). The B1C component of complement was measurable in half of the subjects studied. The data illustrate that it is possible to quantify exactly certain humoral indices which may be important in the host defense of the eye.