Microbiology and Immunology 3300B Lecture : Immunology Notes

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Complement: heat-labile component of plasma that complements killing of bacteria by antibodies (both plasma and serum contain complement components). It participates in both innate and adaptive immune responses. It is a large number of proteins (48) that interact in a hub-like network as well as with other systems. The function of complement proteins is to opsonize pathogens to combat infection. Opsonization is when pathogens are irreversibly marked to be targeted for destruction by the immune system. Proteins in several complement pathways function as zymogens, which are proteases that themselves have to be activated by other proteases. The three major pathways of complement activation are: classical pathway (bridge between adaptive and innate because it needs antigen), lectin (innate), and alternative (innate). Zymogens are good because it means that these pathways won t be activated until other things are active, and it allows for amplification of complement cascade. Igm is efficient at activating the classical pathway of complement.

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