Assay of Complement Components C1, C4, C2, C3 and C9 in Whole Rat Serum

Abstract

Methods are described for the purification and effective molecule titrations of rat complement components C1, C4, C2 and C9. The rat complement system is unusual in regard to the low ionicity required for the formation and maintenance of the EAC1<sup>rat</sup> intermediate, the instability of C4<sup>rat</sup> in serum or plasma, and a value for C9 activity five to ten times that observed in other species.