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Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI105904
Blood Grouping Laboratory and the Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Blood Grouping Laboratory and the Department of Medicine, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Find articles by Alper, C. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Blood Grouping Laboratory and the Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Blood Grouping Laboratory and the Department of Medicine, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Find articles by Propp, R. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Published September 1, 1968 - More info
Polymorphism of human C′3 has been defined by prolonged agarose electrophoresis of fresh serum. At least four, and probably five, alleles have been identified by the electrophoretic mobilities of gene products. Inheritance of three alleles, F1 F, and S, is consistent with the autosomal condominant type. The inheritance of S1 is probably codominant and that of F0·8 is not known. Of the 15 phenotypes predicted by these alleles, eight have been observed.
The allotypes appear to differ in net surface charge at pH 8.6, but show no obvious differences in complement activity, in molecular size, or in binding of Ca++. The concentrations of the two gene products in serum from all known heterozygotes are approximately equal.
The S gene is most common in the three major races of man. The F gene is relatively common in Caucasians, less common in American Negroes, and relatively uncommon in Orientals.
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