Cytogenetic engineering in vivo: restoration of biologic complement activity to C5-deficient mice by intravenous inoculation of hybrid cells.

Splenic macrophages were identified as at least one source of C5 elaboration in normal mice. Hybrid cells were formed from splenic macrophages from C5-deficient mice and either kidney cells from mice with normal amounts of C5 or chicken erythrocytes. These hybrids elaborated C5 in vitro. C5-Deficient mice inoculated with these hybrid cells developed, in their serum, antigenically active mouse C5, as well as both hemolytic and biologic complement activity. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of genetic "repair" in mammals.