Monkey Terminal complement complex C5b-9 ELISA Kit

The complement system contains a wide variety of different proteins that interact in a highly organized manner in an intricate crosstalk with innate and adaptive immune pathways. Complement components are arranged in a cascade, ready to amplify and respond rapidly to various microenvironmental insults or cues. Among the many complement components, C3 and C5 are important in the complement cascade. In general, the cascade can start with three different pathways: the classical pathway (CP), the alternative pathway (AP) and the lectin pathway (LP). The classical pathway begins with the binding of the C1q fragment of complement factor C1 to antigenantibody complexes. The lectin pathway begins with the binding of mannoseconjugated lectin to polysaccharide or glycoprotein moieties on the surface of foreign cells or injured host cells. In contrast, AP is characterized by constitutive lowlevel activation of C3. This activation, known as the "C3 tickover," is mediated by the spontaneous hydrolysis of C3, which leads to the generation of C3H20 and the formation of the active C3 converting enzyme, C3H20Bb. The C3H20Bb converting enzyme initiates the AP.