In article <373C4BB3.3AB5 at nds.ox.ac.uk>,
Derek W.R. Gray <Nuffield, Department, of, Surgery> wrote:
>Has anyone any information on the difference between human plasma and
>serum in terms of activation of the alternative pathway of
>complement-mediated lysis of sheep red cells? We are using this has a
>positive control for another assay of the effect of complement (on
>xeno-genetic islets), and have found that plasma has a remarkable
>inability to lyse sheep red cells. Is this on the basis of complement
>inhibitors ? I would suspect this is the sort of information that was
>worked out many years back, I will be grateful if anyone can search
>their memory for information or source of expertise.
>>Derek Gray
I'm pretty sure you will find Sheep RBCs to be poor activators of the
alternative pathway. Rabbit RBCs, on the other hand, work quite well.
Greg
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