Complement membrane attack complex
Protein complex / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The membrane attack complex (MAC) or terminal complement complex (TCC) is a complex of proteins typically formed on the surface of pathogen cell membranes as a result of the activation of the host's complement system, and as such is an effector of the immune system. Antibody-mediated complement activation leads to MAC deposition on the surface of infected cells.[1] Assembly of the MAC leads to pores that disrupt the cell membrane of target cells, leading to cell lysis and death.[2]
The MAC is composed of the complement components C5b, C6, C7, C8 and several C9 molecules.
A number of proteins participate in the assembly of the MAC. Freshly activated C5b binds to C6 to form a C5b-6 complex, then to C7 forming the C5b-6-7 complex. The C5b-6-7 complex binds to C8, which is composed of three chains (alpha, beta, and gamma), thus forming the C5b-6-7-8 complex. C5b-6-7-8 subsequently binds to C9[3][4][5] and acts as a catalyst in the polymerization of C9.