Observations on the Mechanism of Immune Hemolysis: Importance of Immunoglobulin Class and Source of Complement on the Extent of Damage

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Abstract
Membranes of sheep erythrocytes lysed by rabbit IgM and IgG hemolysins and by human and guinea pig complements were examined with the electron microscope. Cells lysed with guinea pig complement in the presence of rabbit IgG hemolysin, or with human complement in the presence of either IgM or IgG hemolysin, had far more “holes” in their surface than were predicted by the “one-hit” theory of complement action. This was true, however, only under conditions of complement excess. Single “holes” were formed when the complement concentration limited the extent of hemolysis. The results suggest that the multiple “hole” phenomenon occurs at a step in the hemolytic sequence prior to the damage-producing step, and are consistent with the one-hit theory of complement action.

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