The classical pathway of complement prevents the formation of insoluble antigen-antibody complexes: biological implications.
There is now clear evidence for a complement dependent physiological system which is capable of processing immune complexes in and outside the vascular compartment so that they remain soluble, and transporting such complexes to the fixed macrophage system where they are safely eliminated. Defects in physiological immune complex disposal can occur at various stages described in this article, and it could well be that several of these stages could present subtle defects which are, however, additive so that under a given set of circumstances immune complexes end up in the wrong places, i.e. outside the fixed macrophage system.
D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D001692:Biological Transport; D003167:Complement Activation; D003171:Complement Pathway, Classical; D006801:Humans; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D011951:Receptors, Complement