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Purification, Measurement of Concentration, and Functional Complement Assay of Human Ficolins

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The Complement System

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1100))

Abstract

Ficolins constitute a group of lectins involved in innate immunity. L-Ficolin, H-ficolin, and M-ficolin are present in human serum. The human ficolins differ in carbohydrate-binding specificity, but they have in common the ability to recognize the acetyl group. L-Ficolin and H-ficolin are associated with serine proteases termed MASPs (MBL-associated serine proteases) and their truncated proteins, and the complexes (L/H-ficolin–MASP) activate the lectin pathway of complement upon binding to their ligands. Recombinant M-ficolin is also able to form a complex with MASP, resulting in complement activation. L-Ficolin and H-ficolin can be purified as a complex with MASP from serum by utilizing their binding specificities. These ficolin–MASP complexes have an ability to activate C4. Human ficolins are quantified by ELISA using specific antibodies or ligands.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biochemistry, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Japan

    Misao Matsushita & Koichiro Tateishi

  2. Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh, UK

    David Kilpatrick

  3. Yokohama College of Pharmacy, Yokohama, Japan

    Hiroshi Shiraki

  4. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Wuhan University, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan, China

    Yu Liu

  5. Fukuoka Red Cross Blood Center, Chikushino, Japan

    Mitsushi Tsujimura

  6. Radioisotope Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

    Yuichi Endo

  7. Fukushima General Hygiene Institute, Fukushima, Japan

    Teizo Fujita

Authors
  1. Misao Matsushita
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  2. David Kilpatrick
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  3. Hiroshi Shiraki
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  4. Yu Liu
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  5. Koichiro Tateishi
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  6. Mitsushi Tsujimura
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  7. Yuichi Endo
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  8. Teizo Fujita
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard University Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Mihaela Gadjeva

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Matsushita, M. et al. (2014). Purification, Measurement of Concentration, and Functional Complement Assay of Human Ficolins. In: Gadjeva, M. (eds) The Complement System. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1100. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-724-2_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-724-2_12

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-723-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-724-2

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