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Related Concept Videos

Complement System01:27

Complement System

2.7K
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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Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

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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.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
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Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

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.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
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Humoral Immune Responses01:36

Humoral Immune Responses

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Overview
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Antibody Actions01:26

Antibody Actions

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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.
Neutralization
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Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

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Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
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Structural basis of complement anaphylatoxin receptor activation by an immunostimulant lead candidate.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 14, 2025

Depletion of Specific Cell Populations by Complement Depletion
06:17

Depletion of Specific Cell Populations by Complement Depletion

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The complement system: Biology, pathology, and therapeutic interventions.

Xaria X Li1, Trent M Woodruff1

  • 1School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Pharmacological Reviews
|July 19, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Complement system targeting offers new treatments for immune disorders. Recent drug approvals show rapid progress in diverse therapeutic approaches for rare and common diseases.

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology
  • Drug Development

Background:

  • The complement system is a key part of innate immunity, implicated in numerous immune-mediated disorders.
  • Therapeutic targeting of the complement system has evolved significantly, with numerous drugs approved recently.
  • The field is expanding beyond rare diseases to address more prevalent conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of the complement system and its therapeutic targeting.
  • To review the molecular pharmacology, clinical utility, and development trends of complement therapeutics.
  • To highlight the diversifying drug modalities and their associated opportunities and challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on complement system biology and therapeutics.
  • Analysis of approved and late-phase complement-targeting drugs, including their pharmacokinetics and safety.
  • Discussion of novel therapeutic approaches and future development trends.

Main Results:

  • The complement field has seen 8 new drug approvals between 2022-2024, diversifying beyond monoclonal antibodies.
  • Approved therapies include macrocyclic peptides, small molecules, aptamers, recombinant proteins, nanobodies, oligonucleotides, and gene therapies.
  • Current research focuses on targeting all complement pathways and expanding applications to prevalent diseases.

Conclusions:

  • The complement system represents a significant therapeutic target for a wide range of immune disorders.
  • Diversification in drug modalities presents new opportunities and challenges in complement therapy development.
  • This review serves as a guide to the current landscape and future directions in complement therapeutics.