The relationship between factor XI coagulant and factor XI antigenic activity in cattle.

Factor XI protein, isolated from normal bovine plasma, was used to raise antiserum in rabbits. The antisera was partially purified and used in a neutralization-inhibition assay to investigate the relationship between factor XI coagulant activity and antigenic material in the plasma of normal cattle and cattle homozygous and heterozygous for factor XI deficiency. Factor XI antigen was reduced in both the homozygous and heterozygous animals to levels comparable to the factor XI coagulant activity. The reduction of immunologically cross-reactive material to normal factor XI suggests that the factor XI coagulation defect is associated with the absence of a normal protein.