[Aggregation of immune complexes and their use in serologic diagnosis]

Serological reactions can be subdivided into reactions of the primary and secondary aggregation in accordance with the aggregation character of antigen-antibody complexes. Homologous immune complexes, aggregated by means of complement and conglutinin, split due to the action of substances binding calcium ions, whereas heterologous immune complexes are resistant to such action. This fact suggests that the substance, described in the literature as immunoconglutinin, is an antigen-antibody complex. The above-mentioned properties of immune complexes have been used as a basis for developing the method of their detection.