Relationships between the haemolytic activities of the human complement system and complement components.

The relationships between the haemolytic activities of complement and its components were studied. The activities studied included CH50 (classical pathway), AP50 (alternative pathway), CV50 (early part of alternative pathway) and C(3--9)H50 ((the late part of both pathways). The components included C3, C4, C5, C9, B and D. There was a good correlation between CH50 and AP50. AP50 had a good correlation with B and CV50. There was no correlation between AP50 and C(3--9)H50, and none between C(3--9)H50 and C5 or C9. AP50 may primarily represent changes in the early part of the alternative pathway. C(3--9)H50 is not influenced by respective changes in the amounts of C5 or C9. Since cell lesion is now considered to be caused by a unit of C5b to C9, a change in each component of C5 to C9 may not influence haemolytic activity.