Quick Definition
What is Guinea Pig Complement?: Guinea pig complement refers to the complement system proteins in guinea pig serum, which has unusually high and consistent complement activity compared to other species. Guinea pig serum is the standard complement source in haemolytic complement assays (CH50), complement fixation tests (CFT), and any assay requiring active, potent complement activity that can be titrated reproducibly.
Why guinea pig serum for complement assays?
Guinea pig serum has been the standard complement source since the early 20th century because it consistently provides high-titre complement activity that can be titrated to a defined CH50 per lot — essential for complement fixation tests used in serology laboratories.
Critical handling requirements
Guinea pig complement must never be heat inactivated — the complement proteins are the entire point. Keep frozen at −70°C until use. Thaw rapidly in a 37°C water bath, immediately place on ice. Use within 2 hours. Never refreeze. Titrate each lot to determine the exact volume for one CH50 unit in your specific assay format before quantitative measurements.
Key Facts
- Guinea pig serum has the highest and most consistent complement activity of any commonly available animal serum
- Used as exogenous complement source in: haemolytic complement assays (CH50, AH50), complement fixation test (CFT), bactericidal assays, opsonophagocytosis assays
- Complement activity measured in CH50 units — one unit lyses 50% of sensitised sheep red blood cells under defined conditions
- Must be stored at −70°C or below — complement proteins are extremely heat-labile; repeated freeze-thaw destroys activity
- Lot-to-lot variability in complement activity is significant — always titrate new lots before use in quantitative assays
- Available from SeamlessBio: 50 mL, 100 mL, 500 mL; non-heat inactivated; frozen shipment required
Further Reading
SeamlessBio GmbH · Passau, Germany · info@seamlessbio.de
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