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Scheme of the complement system. The complement system, also known as complement cascade, is a part of the humoral, innate immune system and enhances (complements) the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and attack the pathogen's cell membrane. [1]
The overall Complement system is composed of protein groups that collaborate in destroying foreign invaders, which ultimately remove debris from cells and tissues. When the body detects a foreign invader, the body signals the Complement system and the Complement component 2 protein attaches to Complement system 4 resulting in an immune response.
Complement deficiency is where the function of the complement system is deficient; In reality, immunodeficiency often affects multiple components, with notable examples including severe combined immunodeficiency (which is primary) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (which is secondary).
[1] [4] [5] The complement system activation may be due to mutations in the complement regulatory proteins (factor H, factor I, or membrane cofactor protein (CD46)), [6] [5] [7] or occasionally due to acquired neutralizing autoantibody inhibitors of these complement system components (e.g. anti–factor H antibodies).
Three biochemical pathways activate the complement system: the classical complement pathway, the alternate complement pathway, and the mannose-binding lectin pathway. [9] These processes differ only in the process of activating C3 convertase, [10] which is the initial step of complement activation, and the subsequent process are eventually the ...
Complement deficiency is an immunodeficiency of absent or suboptimal functioning of one of the complement system proteins. [4] Because of redundancies in the immune system, many complement disorders are never diagnosed. Some studies estimate that less than 10% are identified. [5]
The alternative pathway is a type of cascade reaction of the complement system and is a component of the innate immune system, a natural defense against infections. The alternative pathway is one of three complement pathways that opsonize and kill pathogens. The pathway is triggered when the C3b protein directly binds a microbe. It can also be ...
Complement component 3, often simply called C3, is a protein of the immune system that is found primarily in the blood. It plays a central role in the complement system of vertebrate animals and contributes to innate immunity. In humans it is encoded on chromosome 19 by a gene called C3. [5] [6]