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VETERINARY BACTERIOLOGY 



species of animal with the complement of another results in the 

 formation of anticomplement, but more recent investigations 

 have thrown some doubt upon the sufficiency of the explanation 

 offered. 



Ehrlich's Conception of Formation of Amboceptor and Comple- 

 ment. Ehrlich calls an amboceptor a freed cell receptor of the 

 third order. Such a receptor he believes exists in the form of a 

 double haptophore, and unites first with food or other materials, 

 then, by means of the other haptophore, with complement which 

 is present in the serum. The latter doubtless normally brings 



Fig. 76. Formation and action of cytolysins: 1, Bacterial or other cell, 

 a, with receptors, b, which are thrown off as antigens, c; 2, protoplasmic mole- 

 cule of the body a, with a receptor of the third order, 6. This receptor, by 

 means of its cytophilous haptophore, d, can unite with the antigen, e, and 

 by means of its complementophilous haptophore, r, it can unite with the 

 complement /. At g is shown a receptor with both haptophores occupied. 

 At h is a freed cell receptor or amboceptor; 3, a bacterial or other cell, a, to which 

 an amboceptor has united by means of the receptor 6, and with a complement 

 united to c. This completes the lytic system, and the cell may be destroyed 

 by the complement. 



about changes of a digestive nature which enable the cell proto- 

 plasm to make use of the food. The antigens used in immuniza- 

 tion unite with such receptors and divert them from their normal 

 function. Possibly the cell is injured; it is, at any rate, stimulated 

 to an overproduction of these receptors, and they are thrown free 

 in the blood as amboceptors. 



Group Cytolysins. It may be shown that related cells contain 

 some similar antigens, and that the cytolysins for one species of 

 cell may dissolve in low dilutions the cells of another species. 

 This phenomenon is similar to that of group agglutination, and 

 seems to be based upon the same general facts. 



Bacteriolysins. Bacteriolysins are normally present for certain 



