Open AccessComplement, complement activation and anaphylatoxins in human ovarian follicular fluid
Author(s) -
PERRICONE R.,
CAROLIS C.,
MORETTI C.,
SANTUARI E.,
SANCTIS G.,
FONTANA L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1990.tb05453.x
Subject(s) - anaphylatoxin , complement system , follicular fluid , follicular phase , alternative complement pathway , classical complement pathway , ovulation , immunology , complement factor b , complement (music) , biology , endocrinology , chemistry , medicine , antibody , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , hormone , embryo , complementation , oocyte , gene , phenotype
SUMMARY Functionally active complement was sought and detected in human follicular fluids obtained during the pre‐ovulatory period. All the functional complement activities tested, including total haemolytic complement, classical pathway activity and alternative pathway activity were present in nine fluids from four different donors with values within the normal serum range. The immunochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of complement factors from C1 to C9, of B and of C1 INH, H, I. Complement anaphylatoxins were found employing RIA techniques in amounts significantly higher than in human plasma, thus demonstrating that follicular fluid complement, at least during the preovulatory period, is partially activated. A possible role for urokinase‐like substances in such an activation was indicated by further in vitro experiments. The presence of active complement in follicular fluid can be relevant for the function of the enzymatic multi‐factorial mechanism of ovulation.