"Transfer"of Complement from One Antigen-Antibody Complex to Another.

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Abstract
The "transfer" to soluble I131 bovine serum albumin I131 BSA)-anti BSA complexes of guinea pig complement which had previously been fixed to pneumococcae polysaccharde (SIII)-anti SIII and egg albumen (Ea)-anti Ea precipitates was demonstrated. This "transfer" of complement was achieved if the complement-containing precipitates were added directly to the complexes or first dissociated with excess antigen. Ca++ and Mg++ inhibited this "transfer" of complement. The only detectable component of complement released from antibody-antigen-complement precipitates by excess antigen was hemolytically active C[imgae]1. Complement which had been fixed to Ea-anti Ea precipitates retarded the establishment of the equilibrium between antibody and antigen when excess antigen was added to these precipitates. It was also shown that the time during which precipitates (antibody + antigen or antibody + antigen + complement) were incubated had only a minor effect on the rate of dissociation of the precipitates with excess antigen.