title: Ficolins in complement activation.
abstract: Ficolins are a group of multimeric lectins made up of single subunits each of which is composed of a collagen-like domain and a fibrinogen-like domain. Most of the ficolins identified to date bind to acetylated compounds such as N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc). Ficolins in serum are complexed with MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs) and their truncated proteins. These lectins play an important role in innate immunity. Binding of the ficolin-MASP complex to carbohydrates present on the surface of microbes initiates complement activation via the lectin pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biochemistry, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan. mmatsu@keyaki.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Misao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsushita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D037102:Lectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D000097604:Ficolins
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D000097604:Ficolins