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Review
. 2011 Jan;343(1):227-35.
doi: 10.1007/s00441-010-1034-0. Epub 2010 Sep 14.

The complement system

J Vidya Sarma  1 , Peter A Ward
Affiliations
Review

The complement system

J Vidya Sarma et al. Cell Tissue Res. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

The complement system consists of a tightly regulated network of proteins that play an important role in host defense and inflammation. Complement activation results in opsonization of pathogens and their removal by phagocytes, as well as cell lysis. Inappropriate complement activation and complement deficiencies are the underlying cause of the pathophysiology of many diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and asthma. This review represents an overview of the complement system in an effort to understand the beneficial as well as harmful roles it plays during inflammatory responses.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The three different pathways of complement activation: alternative, classical and lectin pathways; factors that can inhibit the pathways are indicated in boxes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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