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Related Concept Videos

Complement System01:27

Complement System

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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...
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Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

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The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
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Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 2, 2025

Measuring the 50% Haemolytic Complement CH50 Activity of Serum
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Measuring the 50% Haemolytic Complement CH50 Activity of Serum

Published on: March 29, 2010

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Soluble MAC is primarily released from MAC-resistant bacteria that potently convert complement component C5.

Dennis J Doorduijn1, Marie V Lukassen2, Marije F L van 't Wout1

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Elife
|August 10, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Soluble membrane attack complex (sMAC) forms in serum when bacteria resist complement killing. Regulators like vitronectin and clusterin prevent sMAC-induced bystander cell lysis, offering biomarker potential.

Keywords:
C5E. coliEscherichia coliStaphylococcuscomplementimmunologyinflammationmembrane attack complexterminal complement complex

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The membrane attack complex (MAC, C5b-9) is crucial for immune defense against microbes.
  • Soluble MAC (sMAC) is detected in infections and proposed as a biomarker, but its formation mechanism is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate MAC formation mechanisms on various bacteria.
  • Determine the conditions and processes leading to sMAC generation during infection.

Main Methods:

  • Studied MAC formation on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria in human serum.
  • Utilized size exclusion chromatography and mass spectrometry.
  • Assessed the role of serum regulators vitronectin (Vn) and clusterin (Clu).

Main Results:

  • sMAC is primarily formed by MAC-resistant bacteria in serum.
  • MAC-resistant bacteria convert C5 to C5b more efficiently and release MAC precursors.
  • sMAC is a heterogeneous complex of C5b-8, C9, Vn, and Clu, with regulators preventing bystander lysis.

Conclusions:

  • MAC-resistant bacteria are key generators of sMAC in serum.
  • Understanding sMAC formation provides insights into its potential as an infection biomarker.