Complement??

[David L. Haviland, Ph.D.]

At 18:19 1/1/97 GMT, you wrote:
>Hi there i'm a 2nd yr. Biomedical student who's having a problem
>understanding the whole concept of complement.  I need to write an
>essay about it but do not know where to begin.  Can someone please
>give me a brief description of what complement is or point me to the
>right direction.  I can imagine this to be a big subject but any help
>will be very much appreciated.

I would strongly suggest these three review articles in addition to what is
in a basic immunology text.  Without wishing to start a net war, to  some,
the complement system is even viewed as the original host defense system,
with the development of B and T cells coming later on in evolution.  Of the
two arms of the complement system, the alternative pathway is likely the
oldest - both bacteria and fungi can directly activate the alternative
pathway without need of specific antibody.


  Reference    Edit    View    Type
ARTICLE
     Reference #=A6 2169
       Author #1=A6 Muller-Eberhard,HJ
       Author #2=A6
            Year=A6 1988
           Title=A6 Molecular organization and function of the complement
system.
                =A6  [Review]
         Journal=A6 Annual Review of Biochemistry
        Volume #=A6 57
         Page(s)=A6 321-347
        Abstract=A6
        Comments=A6
      Keyword #1=A6

  Reference    Edit    View    Type
ARTICLE
     Reference #=A6 2189
       Author #1=A6 Muller-Eberhard,HJ
       Author #2=A6
            Year=A6 1986
           Title=A6 The membrane attack complex of complement. [Review]
         Journal=A6 Annual Review of Immunology
        Volume #=A6 4
         Page(s)=A6 503-528

and=20

  Reference    Edit    View    Type
ARTICLE
     Reference #=A6 2407
       Author #1=A6 Perlmutter,DH
       Author #2=A6 Colten,HR
       Author #3=A6
            Year=A6 1986
           Title=A6 Molecular imunobiology of complemement biosynthesis: A=
 model
                =A6 of single-cell control of effector-inhibitor balance
         Journal=A6 Annual Review of Immunology
        Volume #=A6 4
         Page(s)=A6 231-251
     =20

These should help.  I would start with the first one, and then proceed to
the other two.

David


























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 David L. Haviland, Ph.D.
 Asst. Prof. Immunology=20
 University of Texas - Houston, H.S.C.
 Institute of Molecular Medicine =20
 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd. =20
 Houston, TX  77030=20
 Internet:"dhavilan at imm2.imm.uth.tmc.edu"=20
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" Sometimes you're the windsheild, sometimes you're the bug."
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