Saint Luke's Regional Laboratories and Referral Laboratory

Serum gel tube (for C3 and C4) and plain red top or serum gel tube (for CH50)

Serum

4 mL for C3 and C4; 1 mL for CH50

2 mL for C3 and C4; 0.5 mL for CH50

For C3 and C4:
1. Allow the tube to clot for exactly 60 minutes.
2. Centrifuge immediately and divide the serum into 4 plastic vials,
    each containing aliquots of approximately 0.75 mL. 
3. Label the specimen appropriately (serum for C3 and C4).
4. Send the specimen frozen at ≤ -80° C within 4 hours of collection.

For CH50:
1. Allow the tube to clot at room temperature for 15 - 30 minutes.
2. Remove the serum after centrifugation and place in a plastic transport tube. 
3. Label the specimen appropriately (serum for Complement, Total).

Frozen

CH50 Stability:
Frozen - 14 days
Freeze/Thaw cycles: Stable x3

1. Plasma is not acceptable.
2. Gross lipemia or hemolysis.

86160 - Complement C3 (EAP 30011600)                  
86160 - Complement C4 (EAP 30011640)
86162 - Complement Total (EAP 30011700)

Monday through Sunday for C3 and C4

CH50: Quantitative liposome lysis by spectrophotometry

C3 (Third Component of Complement), C4 (Fourth Component of Complement), and Total Complement