Activation of human complement by collagenase and ficoll.

Collagenase and ficoll are standard chemicals used for isolation and purification of pancreatic islets. The capacity of these substances to activate human complement was tested by incubation for 45 min at 37 degrees C with fresh or liquid nitrogen-stored human plasma from normal blood donors. Complement-split products were then determined by sensitive enzyme immunoassays from QUIDEL. Collagenase activates both the classical and the alternative pathway, whereas Ficoll activates the alternative pathway only. When present in islet preparations used for islet transplantation, these substances may induce local inflammatory reactions compromising islet viability and engraftment.