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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Depletion of Specific Cell Populations by Complement Depletion
Published on: February 5, 2010
Complement
1VA Boston Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract:
The role of complement in human autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases is reviewed, focusing on clinical applicability. A typical case is presented in which serum testing for C3 and C4 is performed to help assess a syndrome with a broad differential diagnosis. The review includes a discussion of complement deficiency states, consumption of complement by diseases characterized by immune-complex formation and deposition, usefulness and interpretation of laboratory tests for complement, and development of drugs targeting specific components of the complement pathway for a growing number of indications.
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