[A comparative study of erythrocytes from 4 animal species in the determination of hemolytic activity in classical and alternative pathways of bovine complement].

The hemolytic activity of bovine complement activated via the classical or alternative pathways was studied employing as target cells, erythrocytes of sheep, rabbit, guinea-pig and chicken. A spontaneous activation of bovine complement via the alternative pathway by rabbit and guinea-pig erythrocytes at a high level and chicken erythrocytes at a lower degree, was observed. Consequently hemolytic activity following activation via the classical pathway reflects activation via the two pathways when erythrocytes of these three species were used. In spite of a low degree of hemolysis, sheep erythrocytes have been chosen for their high specificity in the evaluation of bovine complement activation via the classical pathway. Activation via the alternative pathway can be performed by the erythrocytes of the three other species studied.