title: A sensitive microassay for the murine alternative complement pathway.
abstract: A microhemolytic assay for measurement of murine alternative complement pathway activity is described. The assay uses 51Cr release from neuraminidase-treated rabbit erythrocytes incubated with Mg2+ EGTA-chelated murine serum. Neuraminidase pretreatment of rabbit erythrocytes increases the sensitivity of the assay 8--10-fold, enable the use of small volumes of individual mouse sera. The assay affords a simple, sensitive and reproducible method for measuring murine alternative complement pathway activity. Significant differences were found between strains alternative complement pathway activity of serum from various inbred murine lines was measured.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003167:Complement Activation; D003170:Complement Pathway, Alternative; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006461:Hemolysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012794:Sialic Acids; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012794:Sialic Acids; D009439:Neuraminidase