Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2026

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells
06:29

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells

Published on: January 29, 2014

New developments in immunopathology with special reference to complement and immune complexes

M M Frank

    International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology
    |January 1, 1985
    PubMed

    The last few years have seen rapid advances in our understanding of immune phenomena, and these are now being translated into a new understanding of immunopathology. This paper reviews a number of areas where important new knowledge has been gained in the area of complement and immune complexes as a cause of disease. An understanding of the role of the metabolism of complement proteins has led to an understanding of how these proteins interact with receptors to cause phagocytosis. New understanding of the lysis-producing steps has led to new diagnostic tests for complement-induced damage as well as new knowledge of how complement functions to kill microorganisms. New methods for purifying anaphylatoxins have made these proteins available for study in man. A model of serum sickness in man has allowed for the more detailed understanding of how immune complexes cause disease and has led to the appreciation of new clinical signs of immune-complex-mediated disease in man.

    More Related Videos

    In Vitro Methods for Comparing Target Binding and CDC Induction Between Therapeutic Antibodies: Applications in Biosimilarity Analysis07:25

    In Vitro Methods for Comparing Target Binding and CDC Induction Between Therapeutic Antibodies: Applications in Biosimilarity Analysis

    Published on: May 4, 2017

    Evaluation of the Interplay Between the Complement Protein C1q and Hyaluronic Acid in Promoting Cell Adhesion06:54

    Evaluation of the Interplay Between the Complement Protein C1q and Hyaluronic Acid in Promoting Cell Adhesion

    Published on: June 15, 2019

    Related Concept Videos

    Humoral Immune Responses01:36

    Humoral Immune Responses

    Overview
    Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

    Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

    An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
    Complete Antigens
    Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
    Antibody Actions01:26

    Antibody Actions

    Antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are critical players in the immune system's arsenal against invading pathogens. Produced by B cells and plasma cells, their primary role is to detect and bind to specific antigens, molecules found on the surface of pathogens like bacteria or viruses. Beyond antigen recognition, antibodies perform several vital functions that contribute to immune defense.
    Neutralization
    Antibodies can bind to pathogens, preventing them from infecting host cells. This process...
    Development of Immunocompetence01:22

    Development of Immunocompetence

    The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
    The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
    Subsequent T...
    Complement System01:27

    Complement System

    The complement system is a group of approximately 20 plasma proteins that strengthen the body's defenses against infections through opsonization, inflammation, and cell lysis. Opsonization involves coating pathogens with complement proteins, making them more recognizable and facilitating phagocyte engulfment. Certain complement proteins induce inflammation that attracts immune cells to the site of infection. Cell lysis involves the destruction of pathogens through the formation of a membrane...
    Hypersensitivity Reactions: Immune-Complex Reactions01:19

    Hypersensitivity Reactions: Immune-Complex Reactions

    Type III hypersensitivity reactions occur when antigen–antibody complexes form and activate the complement system. Normally, these complexes help the clearance of antigens by phagocytes and red blood cells. However, when large numbers of immune complexes are present, they can deposit in tissues—particularly in the walls of blood vessels—leading to inflammation and tissue injury. These deposits trigger complement activation and neutrophil recruitment, resulting in serum sickness, a systemic...