[Genetics and some characterization of C6 deficiency in rabbits (author's transl)]

C6 deficient rabbits were found in a breed of Angora rabbits reared in Japan. The genetic studies confirmed that this complement deficiency was transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait. Alloimmunization of the deficient rabbits with normal rabbit serum produced a specific antibody to C6 component. This antiserum cross-reacted against human, cattle, sheep, goat, pig, dog, guinea pig and mouse serum, but not to horse, hamster and chicken serum. The C6 levels in the sera of Angora rabbits, measured by the single radial immunodiffusion method using the alloantiserum, were distributed in three distinct group; normal, about half of normal and null level. The C6 level in the sera of F1 rabbits (C6+/-), crosses between C6 deficient Angora rabbit (C6-/-) and New Zealand White rabbit (C6+/+), was about half of normal level. These results suggested that the level of C6 in the sera was under the dosage effect of C6 deficient gene.