Abstract

The complement system, unlike the coagulation system, was largely characterized by in-vitro techniques which did not make use of genetically deficient plasmas. The existence of the genetically deficient plasmas. The existence of the genetically deficient subjects therefore has served largely to increase our knowledge of the in-vivo role of complement. At the present time its clearest role is in the resistance to infection; obviously in the case of C3 deficiency and bacterial infection and possibly more subtly in the case of deficiency of the early active complement components and low virulence organisms. There is so far no evidence that genetic complement deficiency interferes with antibody formation or with the generation of tolerance as has been suggested in the pas (Azar et al, 1968; Dukor and Hartmann, 1973).