Genetic engineering allows the production of chimeric immunoglobulins where the same variable region is expressed in conjunction with constant regions of different species. We have compared the capacity of mouse and chimeric (mouse variable region/human constant region) immunoglobulin M (IgM) to trigger complement-dependent lysis and to bind complement component C1. Guinea pig and human C1 were bound more efficiently by mouse IgM than by chimeric IgM, whereas rat and rabbit C1 were bound more efficiently by chimeric IgM. Comparable results were obtained for complement as measured by the lysis of sensitized erythrocytes. These results indicated that differences between the human and mouse mu heavy chain constant regions define structures that are important in the C1-IgM interaction. Furthermore, species-specific differences in C1 also influence this interaction.