Complement and Hemolytic Antibody: Changes in Their Activity Induced by Mercaptoethanol

Cell-bound complement components are not destroyed by mercaptoethanol. Destruction of cell-bound hemolytic antibody was prevented by cell-bound complement components. In the absence of cells, the complement components C'3 and C'4 were most susceptible to destruction by mercaptoethanol; C'1, C'1a, and C'2 were most resistant. Mercaptoethanol (0.01M) increases C'1 activity, and this increase is not due to activation of C'1 to C'1a. Destruction of some components required both mercaptoethanol and iodoacetamide treatment.