Lectin complement system and pattern recognition.

摘要: Living organisms have strong defense mechanisms against invading microorganisms as survival strategies. One of the is complement system, composed more than 30 serum and cell surface components. This system collaborates in recognition elimination pathogens a part both innate acquired immune systems. The two collagenous lectins, mannose-binding lectin (MBL) ficolins, are pattern proteins acting immunity and, upon pathogens, they trigger activation pathway through attached serine proteases (MASPs). A similar lectin-based consisting lectin-protease complex C3, present ascidians, our closest invertebrate relatives lamprey, most primitive vertebrate. Furthermore, lamprey N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-binding was identified orthlogue mammalian C1q, MASP suggested prototype MASP-2/C1r/C1s, indicating that classical arose system. Thus, one highly organized systems invertebrates jawless vertebrates, this has survived vertebrates with its core components little changed for 600-700 million years.