Of the 30 distinct complement proteins recognized to date, C3 is probably the most versatile and multifunctional molecule known, interacting with at least 20 different proteins.'s2 It plays a critical role in both pathways of complement activation and participates in phagocytic and immunoregulatory processes.'V2 The study of C3 molecules from different species gives insight into the structural ...

Although the third component of complement, C3, has been isolated and its primary structure determined from most living classes of vertebrate, limited information is available on its structure and function for aves, which represent a significant stage in complement evolution. In this study, we present the complete cDNA sequence of chicken C3, the cDNA sequences of the thioester region for two c...

The plasma protein C3 is a central element in the activation and effector functions of the complement system. A hereditary dysfunction of C3 that prevents complement activation via the alternative pathway (AP) was described previously in a Swedish family, but its genetic cause and molecular consequences have remained elusive. In this study, we provide these missing links by pinpointing the dysf...

C3 and TC-1 are the two model cell lines most commonly used in studies of vaccines and drugs against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Because C3 cells contain both the HPV16 E and L genes, but TC-1 cells contain only the HPV16 E genes, C3 cells are usually used as the model cell line in studies targeting the HPV16 L protein. However, expression of the L1 protein is difficult to detect in C...

Concentrations of the third component of complement (C3, f31C globulin) in serum may vary considerably in patients with certain diseases. Its accurate measurement is therefore important medically. For some time it has been recognized that the C3 in serum stored at room temperature breaks down into two proteins, f31A and a2D. Monospecific antisera have been made to the three antigenic determinan...

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS, is regarded as an experimental model for multiple sclerosis. The complement has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. To clarify the role of C in mouse EAE, we immunized mice deficient in C3 (C3(-/-)) and their wild-type (C3(+/+)) littermates with myelin oligodendrocyte glycop...

Contact between blood and a biomaterial surface induces an immediate complement-mediated inflammatory response. Under these conditions, the alternative pathway of complement is often initiated and amplified on the biomaterial surface. Adsorption of a protein such as C3 to a polymer surface induces conformational changes in the protein. Based on the expression on adsorbed C3 of conformational ne...