AbstractsMedical & Health Science

Studies on a human cryoglobulin revealed that this protein was a single component (6.5 S) IgG (gamma-l:lambda) with Gm 4 characteristics. Papain cleavage of cryoglobulin produced Fab and Fc fragments of mol. wt. 44,000 and 48,000, which collectively or individually did not form cryo-gel. However, Fab fragment displayed a pH-dependent dimer-monomer equilibrium. Cryoglobulin-specific antigenic determinants were located on its Fd fragment. Peptic scission of cryoglobulin produced two F(ab)2 fragments, F1(ab)2 and F2(ab)2, and one Fe fragment of apparent mol. wt. 105,600, 93,000 and 40,500, respectively. F(ab)2 fragments exhibited visible cryogel formation. [...]