Hemagglutinin activity in Nereis coelomic fluid

1. Nereis coelomic fluid agglutinates rat, mouse, chicken, guinea pig and rhesus monkey erythrocytes (RBC). 2. Lipid fractions of the particulate matter from coelomic fluid are hemagglutinins exhibiting different activity inhibition profiles with complex polysaccharides. 3. The high mol. wt hemagglutinin from coelomic fluid supernatant is not a protein and is inhibited by bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM), thyroglobulin, transferrin and their asialo derivatives. 4. Coelomic fluid supernatant has a population of low mol. wt protein hemagglutinins inhibited by BSM, fetuin, antiserum to coelomic fluid and some mannan preparations. 5. Hemagglutination by lipids characterized by RBC specificity and specificity for inhibition by carbohydrate is noteworthy and may be significant in studies of cellular interactions and immunity in invertebrates.