Steroids and serum complement in mice: influence of hydrocortisone, diethylstilbestrol, and testosterone.

Hydrocortisone depresses hemnolytic complement in male and female mice. Testosterone causes increase of serum complement in female mice, and diethylstilbestrol causes decrease of serum complement in male mice, in each instance to activities approximating those found normally in the opposite sex. Male and female sex hormones have no effect, in the doses used, on the serum complement of male and female mice respectively.