A growing body of evidence indicates that some proteins known for their immune functions also have distinct nonimmune functions in the normal uninjured central nervous system. In this issue, Stevens et al. (2007) demonstrate an unexpected requirement for molecules of the complement cascade in the remodeling of synaptic connections in the developing visual system.

The complement system has long been recognized as having a role in immune glomerular disease. This review provides an update on this association, some strategies for the clinical testing of complement in disease, and a brief commentary on current research directions. Evidence of complement activation in glomerulonephritis comes from characteristic patterns of a decrease in the serum concentrati...

Complement is an important effector arm of the human immune response. Binding of proteolytic fragments derived from activation of complement by specific receptors leads to responses as diverse as inflammation, opsonization, and B-cell activation. The importance of characterizing the expression and regulation of complement in the CNS is highlighted by growing evidence that complement plays a sig...

The mechanisms by which tissue injury after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs has not been fully elucidated. Recent evidence in experimental models has suggested involvement of the complement system in microvascular and macrovascular injury subsequent to AMI. With respect to angina pectoris, whether or not the complement system is activated is not clear. The present study assessed the ro...

The complement system consists of more than 30 proteins and has 3 types of activation pathways: classical, lectin and alternative pathways. The complement system not only has a role in innate immunity but also works as an antibody-dependent effecter to eliminate pathogens. It is useful to measure serum levels of CH50, C3 and C4 in patients with immune-mediated diseases. While increased levels o...

The complement system in blood plasma is a major mediator of innate immune defence. The function of complement is to recognize, then opsonize or lyse, particulate materials, including bacteria, yeasts and other microrganisms, host cell debris and altered host cells. Recognition occurs by binding of complement proteins to charge or saccharide arrays. After recognition, a series of serine proteas...

The complement system consists of approximately 25 proteins that work to complement the activity of antibodies in destroying bacteria, either by facilitating phagocytosis or by puncturing the bacterial cell membrane resulting in bacterial cell lysis (1). Heparin, a clinically used anticoagulant, is a polydisperse, highly sulfated, linear polysaccharide consisting of 1!4 linked uronic acid and g...