Studies on Phagocytosis of Bacteria by the Reticulo-Endothelial System in a Strain of Mice Lacking Hemolytic Complement

摘要

The rate of S. typhimurium phagocytosis by the reticulo-endothelial system and the opsonic activity of immune antibody are similar in mice containing complement and in a strain of mice genetically lacking hemolytic complement activity.The in vivo decomplementation with an unrelated antigen-antibody system did not change the rate of S. typhimurium phagocytosis, but markedly reduced the opsonizing effect of specific antibody irrespective of the presence of complement in the strain of mice.These results indicate that neither the bacterial phagocytosis nor the effect of immune opsonins are related to the serum complement titer measured in terms of hemolytic activity.