Complement component C3 – The “Swiss Army Knife” of innate immunity and host defense

As a preformed defense system, complement faces a delicate challenge in providing an immediate, forceful response to pathogens even at first encounter, while sparing host cells in the process. For this purpose, it engages a tightly regulated network of plasma proteins, cell surface receptors, and regulators. Complement component C3 plays a particularly versatile role in this process by keeping the cascade alert, acting as a point of convergence of activation pathways, fueling the amplification of the complement response, exerting direct effector functions, and helping to coordinate downstream immune responses. In recent years, it has become evident that nature engages the power of C3 not only to clear…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1423304, AI068730, AI030040, 602699
• UO
  University of Pennsylvania
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: AI030040, 1423304, AI068730, 602699
• SF
  Seventh Framework Programme

  Award: 602699