260 



INFECTION AND IMMUNITY. 





sensitized cells. Hence, according to the cells and 

 serums employed, we may refer to sensitized 

 erythrocytes, sensitized bacteria, etc. The experi- 

 ment is called the sensitizing, absorption or bind- 

 ing experiment. An immune serum may be de- 

 prived of all its amboceptors in the binding ex- 

 periment if a sufficient quantity of cells has been 

 used, and it would thereby be rendered incapable 

 of further reactivation by the subsequent addition 

 of complement. 



^ instead of performing the experiment in the 

 ceptor and manner described, the process is reversed so that 

 the corpuscles are first treated with the solution 

 of complement and then with the amboceptors, the 

 corpuscles are not hemolyzed. During the wash- 

 ing process the complement is entirely separated 

 from the cells, and from this fact it is clear that 

 direct union between corpuscle and complement 

 does not occur; only sensitized cells take up com- 

 plement. 



The question as to whether the corpuscles in 

 taking up amboceptors do so by chemical combina- 

 tion or by physical absorption has been contended 

 with some vigor. Ehrlich believes that the process 

 is one of chemical union, and if one adheres to this 

 view it becomes necessary to assign binding or 

 haptophorous groups both to the red blood cells 

 and to the amboceptors. In contrast to another 

 haptophore which the amboceptor possesses and 

 which will be described below, that one which 

 unites with the cell is called the cytophilous hapto- 

 phore. The haptophore of the erythrocyte which 

 enters into the union is an essential part of a re- 

 ceptor of the red cell, consequently we say that the 

 amboceptor unites with a receptor of the corpuscle. 



Cytophilons 

 Haptophore 



of the Ambo- 

 ceptor. 



