Complement-related proteins in crustacean immunity
Bao-Rui Zhao1, Xin-Xin Wang1, Ping-Ping Liu1
1Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, And State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.
Abstract:
As an important part of innate immune system, complement system is widely involved in defense response and immune regulation, and plays an important biological role. The complement system has been deeply studied. More than 30 complement-related molecules and three major complement-activation pathways have been identified in vertebrates. Crustacean animals do not have complement system. There are only some complement-related proteins in crustaceans which are important for host defense. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about complement-related proteins in crustaceans, and their functions in crustacean immunity. We also make a comparation of the crustacean pro-phenoloxidase activating system and the mammalian complement system. This review provides a better understanding of the evolution and function of complement-related proteins in crustaceans.
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