The Complement System
摘要
The complement system contains a variety of soluble and membrane-bound natural immune protein molecules in the form of zymogen that, upon activation, are involved in innate and adaptive immune responses. The complement response is characterized by the activation of complement components that produce a series of cascade reactions that exert biological effects, including lysis of target cells and pathogens (bacteria and viruses), opsonin-mediated phagocytosis, immune complex clearance, and immune regulation. This chapter focuses on the pathways of action of the complement system and the relationship to disease.