title: A new quantitative assay for the determination of complement activity.
abstract: The suitability of the algal assay and the hemolysis method for the determination of complement activity was investigated with regard to reproducibility and quantification. It was shown that the day-to-day reproducibility is higher in the algal assay than in the hemolysis method in test tubes. The lysis of algal cells depends on serum concentrations. The extensive linear relationship between cytotoxic activity and serum concentration prevails at lysis rates between 20 and 80%. Therefore, it is often sufficient to measure the lysis rate at one serum concentration only. The algal assay enables the investigation of changes in complement activity, even if the changes are not expected to be drastic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bielefeld, F.R.G.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefanski
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ruppel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015941:Complement Hemolytic Activity Assay / Q000379:methods; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D005056:Euglena gracilis; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins