Characteristics of the conglutinating substance of sheep serum.

The conglutinating factor in sheep serum was characterized utilizing its ability to react with sensitized erythrocytes which had been alexinated with horse complement. The conglutinating substance in sheep serum was inactivated by the action of 2-mercaptoethanol, did not require calcium ions for its activity, was not inhibited by N-acetyl-D-glucosamine or L-fucose sugars and did not react directly with zymosan. All these activities distinguish this serum factor from bovine conglutinin. These data show that the conglutinating factor in sheep serum is an immunoconglutinin. Reactivity of sheep immunoconglutinin with both heterologous and autologous complement was demonstrated.