[Morphological manifestation of the action of the complement-antibody system on the surface structures of S....

An electron-microscopic study of the negatively-stained S. typhimurium cells from the culture subjected to the action of a specific hyperimmune antiserum in the presence of a complement (the "complement-antibody" system) pointed to increase in the population of morphological signs of cell destruction--an increase in the number of small bacterial fragments. Many cells which retained the configuration of bacterial cells also had signs of specific affection. The determining sign of specificity of the process was the presence on the surface of the great majority of the mentioned morphological types of accumulations of bacterial fragments of the stain in the form of dark stains surrounded by a lighter ring. The stains were as a rule round with the diameter of the dark zone of about 80 A. The light framing of about 30 A in width consisted of 12 subunits. A conclusion was drawn that further experimental analysis was necessary for detalization of this process and reproduction of a complete picture of bacteriolysis.