Congenital and experimentally induced complement deficiency in rabbits

Deficiency of the sixth component of complement in rabbits is an autosomal recessive defect which also renders C7-9 functionally unavailable. The function of C6-9 appears to be that of amplification of immunologic processes. Defective animals are associated with a subtle disadvantage. Normal rabbits injected with cobra-venom-anticomplementary-factor show primary C3-9 and secondary polymorphonuclear leukocyte and platelet functional deficiency. Animals treated with cobra venom showed striking deficits in manifestations of some immunologic functions. Thus the complement system plays a vital role in maintaining integrity of immunologic mechanisms.