title: Collectins, collectin receptors and the lectin pathway of complement activation.
abstract: The collectins are a group of soluble multimeric lectins, which contain collagenous segments, and resemble the complement protein C1q in aspects of their structures and functions. This group of proteins, which includes MBP, SP-A, SP-D, conglutinin and CL-43, are known to act as opsonins in various circumstances, and are likely to have roles in innate immunity. The focus of current research is to pursue the hypothesis that the collectins recognize and bind to non-host carbohydrate structures on microorganisms and particles, and participate in the processing or elimination of such material, either by direct interaction with phagocytic cell receptors, or by indirect routes such as complement activation .
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Holmskov
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D037222:Collectins; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology*; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000276:immunology; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000276:immunology*; D012712:Serum Globulins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D037222:Collectins; D037102:Lectins; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D012712:Serum Globulins; C024014:conglutinin; C086954:collectin-43 protein, bovine; D015922:Complement C1q