Cryopreservation of complement-coated erythrocytes.

Cells coated with complement components (C3b-C4b and C4b cells) were prepared by various methods and stored in liquid nitrogen using a low-glycerol, rapid freeze technique. Freshly coated cells, and cells coated and then frozen were tested versus various antiglobulin and anticomplement reagents to evaluate the reactivity of such frozen, stored, complement-coated human red blood cells. Liquid nitrogen preservation of such coated cells proved to be feasible when such cells were compared with freshly coated control cells.