From the reviews of the first edition: "Overall, the volume is a most useful resource on complement and will be of tremendous value for investigators in the area of complementology, newcomers in the field, and instructors for updating their information on the subject." ASM News -American Society for Microbiology
1 Components and Reactivity.- 1.1 Components.- 1.1.1 Factors of the Classical Pathway.- 1.1.2 Components of the Alternative Pathway.- 1.1.3 Late Components.- 1.2 Reactivity.- 1.2.1 Classical Pathway of Activation.- 1.2.2 Lectin Pathway of Non-self Recognition.- 1.2.3 Alternative Pathway: Activation and Regulation.- 1.2.4 Complement Attack Phase.- 1.2.5 Control Mechanisms.- 1.2.5.1 Membrane Cofactor Protein (CD46) and Decay-Accelerating Factor (CD55).- 1.2.5.2.1 Control of C5b-9 by Fluid Phase Factors.- 1.2.5.2.2 Membrane-Bound Inhibitors of C5b-9.- 1.2.5.3 Interspecies Incompatibilities of Complement Factors and of Regulators.- 1.3 Surface Receptors and Signaling Pathways.- 1.3.1 Receptor for C1q.- 1.3.2 Receptors for Human C3 Fragments.- 1.3.3 Receptors for C5a, C3a, and Factor H.- 2 Biologic Functions.- 2.1 Complement in the Induction of Antibody Response.- 2.2 Maintenance of Immune Complex Solubility and Immune Adherence.- 2.3 Interaction with Effector Cells.- 2.3.1 Leukocyte Mobilisation/Recruitment.- 2.3.2 Chemotactic Peptides.- 2.3.3 Cellular Responses to Activation Products.- 2.4 Host Defense Against Infection.- 2.4.1 Defense Against Bacteria.- 2.4.2 Complement-Dependent Virus Neutralization.- 2.4.3 Evasion of Complement-Mediated Damage by Microorganisms.- 2.5 Possible Role of Complement Regulators in Reproduction.- 2.6 Network Interactions of the Complement System with Other Serum Mediator Systems.- 3 Pathology.- 3.1 Complement Deficiencies in Animals: Impact on Biological Functions.- 3.2 Complement Deficiencies in Humans.- 3.2.1 Inherited and Acquired Deficiencies of C1 Esterase Inhibitor in Humans.- 3.2.2 Deficiencies in the Classiral Pathway.- 3.2.3 Deficiencies in the Alternative Pathway: Factors I and H.- 3.2.4 Deficiency in Terminal Reactivity.- 3.2.5 Deficiency in Lysis Control Proteins.- 3.2.6 C3 Receptor Deficiencies.- 3.3 C3 Nephritic Factor.- 3.4 Complement in Inflammation.- 3.5 Role of Complement in Graft Rejection.- 3.6 Complement Activation on Artificial Surfaces in Biomedical Therapies.- 3.7 Adverse Reactions to Drugs.- 4 Complement Manipulation In Vivo.- 5 The Clinical Laboratory: Testing the Complement System.
Its key role in life preserving functions such as host defense against infections or inflammatory reactions has put the serum complement system at the forefront of biomedical research in both the laboratory and the clinic. This book describes the basic regulation of the complement systems, presenting its biological functions, the target cell receptors for such functions and their interactions with ligands to induce specific cellular responses. The biological functions are also discussed in the context of more complex conditions, for example in host defense, chronic inflammatory disease, graft rejection as well as in adverse reactions to drugs or to artificial surfaces. The book offers the present state-of-the-art compiled by leading experts in the field. Extensive literature citations offer easy access to those interested in more detail.