Abstract
About 80 years ago it was discovered that fresh b blood serum is bactericidal. 1 Subsequently, it was found that fresh blood serum is capable of lysing erythrocytes, 2 protozoa, 3 and tumor cells. 4 This lytic activity is the result of the interaction of antigens located on the surface of the cell, corresponding serum antibodies, serum complement, and calcium and magnesium ions. 5 The result of these interactions is the formation of discrete lesions on the surface of the cell. 6 There is evidence suggesting that low molecular weight substances pass through these lesions causing an osmotic imbalance leading to rupture of the cell. 7 Much of the newer knowledge about complement has come from application of modern tools of molecular biology to the study of immune cytolysis. As this newer knowledge has emerged, there has been renewed interest in studies on the participation of complement in a variety
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