PASSIVE IMMUNE KILL OF CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE

Abstract

Mammalian [HeLa] cells in tissue culture can bind foreign protein to the cell surface and be killed by antiserum with specificity directed to the foreign antigen. The reaction is complement-dependent and, by analogy to passive immune hemolysis, is termed passive immune kill. Passive immune kill is specifically inhibited by incorporation of the foreign protein, in antigen excess, into the reaction mixture. The relevance of these observations to cell injury by immunologic mechanisms occurring in vivo is discussed.