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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells
Published on: January 29, 2014
FUNCTION OF COMPONENTS OF COMPLEMENT IN IMMUNE HEMOLYSIS
1Institute of Pathology, Western Reserve University, and the University Hospitals, Cleveland.
Abstract:
1. At a temperature of 1 degrees C., C'2, C'4, and C'1 combine with sensitized sheep erythrocytes, while C'3 does not combine. 2. C'1, although combining with sensitized cells in the absence of C'4, is hemolytically inert unless C'4 combines previous to, or simultaneously with it. 3. C'4 does not combine in the absence of C'1. 4. Although C'3 is not fixed by antibody-sheep cell aggregates, it is essential for hemolysis, operating on the sensitized red cell after the fixation of C'4, C'2, and C'1 and behaving as if it were a catalyst.
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