Complement

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Readings Presentation Outline Objectives Questions Multiple Choice Key Terms Updated 09/11/00

Who am I? I was the first to use modern biochemical techniques to work out the detailed biochemistry of the compolement activation process.

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Complement

ASSIGNED READING

Kuby's Immunology 4th Ed Chapter 13 pp 329-350
Kuby's Immunology 3rd Ed CHAPTER 14: p 335-356

OUTLINE/SUMMARY

  1. Complement Components
  2. Complement Activation
  3. Regulation of Complement
  4. Biological Consequences
  5. Complement Deficiences
DEFINE THE FOLLOWING KEY TERMS:
C1q anaphyltoxin inactivator anaphylatoxins
C1 C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) alternative pathway
C1r C3 convertase amplification phase
C1s C3b/C4b receptor(CR1) activation phase
C2 C4 binding protein (C4-bp) complement
C2a C5 convertase Factor B
C2b classical pathway Factor D
C3 membrane attack phase Factor H
C3a complement system Factor I
C3b immune adherence opsonization
C4 C5b C7
C4a C4b C6 C8
C5 C9 CD59
C5a membrane attack complex(MAC) properdin
S protein    

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

ON COMPLETION OF THIS SECTION THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

  1. Describe the nomemclature of complement components
  2. Draw a concept map of the classical complement cascade
  3. Draw a concept map of the alternate pathway of complement activation
  4. Describe with specific examples the regulation of complement activation
  5. Explain the ESSENTIAL differences between the classical and the alternative complement activation pathways
  6. Discuss why the amplification phase in critical to many immune reactions.
  7. Specify the major sources of complement and comment on the genetic control of complemt proteins

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

  1. Complement is involved in antigen-antibody interactions, yet there is no agglutination or precipitation.
  2. What does happen?
  3. What are the important functions of complement?
  4. If complement activation can lead to lysis of antibody tagged cellular antigens, what is the purpose of complement activation by antibody-tagged non cellular antigens?
  5. Differentiate between the classical pathway and the alternate pathway of complement activation
  6. Briefly discuss the three stages of the classical pathway of complement activation. What stage is the most important? Why?
  7. What is the difference between complement activation by antigen-IgM complexes and antigen-IgG complexes?
  8. What is the biologic importance of C4a?
  9. What complement components make up C3 convertase and what does it do?
  10. Macrophages have receptors for C3b. What is the biologic significance of this fact?
  11. What is the last complement component to be split into two biologically active fragments? What are their functions?
  12. If the complement cascade is stopped before the membrane attack phase, has complement fulfilled its function in an immune response? If Yes, Why? If No? Speculate on the reason for having the membrane attack phase?
  13. What components of the complement system are shared between the classical pathway and the alternative pathway?
  14. Why is it important to tightly control complement activation?