Virus, toxin, complement: common actions and their prevention by Ca2+ or Zn2+

Membrane damage induced by haemolytic agents does not necessarily lead to lysis: the pores that are formed at low concentration of agent are formed at low concentration of agent are not large enough to allow leakage of cytoplasmic proteins, and in many instances the lesions become repaired with time. Quite different agents induce a similar type of lesion: in each case leakage is reduced at low ionic strenth, and is prevented by divalent cations such as Ca²⁺ or Zn²⁺, suggesting a possible therapeutic approach to the containment of several membrane-damaging diseases.