Baboon, Dog, Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Cat, Hamster, Horse, Rat, Mouse

2°C to 8°C  (≤ 30 days)

For long-term storage (> 30 days), aliquot and store at ≤ –20°C. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures

Highly purified human C8 was isolated from normal serum and used to immunize goats. The anti-human C8 polyclonal antisera was tested against normal human plasma by double immunodiffusion, one-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis, quantitative radial immunodiffusion, and quantitative rocket immunoelectrophoresis. The antiserum was determined to be monospecific for C8 at varying concentrations. 

C8 is a glycoprotein which is present in normal human serum/plasma at approximately 50 µg/mL. C8 is unique in that it is made up of 3 non-identical subunits, α, β, and γ. The molecular weights of these subunits are 64 kD, 64 kD, and 22 kD, respectively. The α and γ chains are linked together by a disulfide bond, whereas the β chain is associated to the α-γ complex by a non-covalent bond. The main function of the C8 protein is to initiate the binding of C9 to form the Membrane Attack Complex (MAC).

Applications of the C8 polyclonal antisera have been evaluated by various research facilities, and include Immunofluorescence1 and ELISA. 2