The classical complement pathway begins when the initiator protein C1q binds directly to the surface of a pathogen, or to an antibody that is bound to a microbe. There is a binding site for C1q on the Fc portion of antibody molecules. C1q can also recognize molecular patterns characteristic of pathogens, much like ...

During the more than 30 years that I have studied viruses, I have had many opportunities to speak with journalists of different kinds. For the most part, the print journalists have done a good job at accurately presenting the science, but I cannot say the same for my experience on ...

The complement system is a collection of blood and cell surface proteins that is a major primary defense and a clearance component of innate and adaptive immune responses. At least 30 different complement proteins act sequentially to produce a wide ranges of activities, from cell lysis to augmentation of the ...

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, and Alan Dove On episode #52 of the podcast "This Week in Virology", Vincent, Dick, and Alan (with a cameo appearance by Rich Condit) review the world's largest Phase III study of a complex HIV vaccine candidate in Thailand, immunization of salmon against infectious salmon ...

Influenza A viruses tend to garner most of the attention, but let's not forget that there are two other virus types, B and C. The enveloped influenza A virions have three membrane proteins (HA, NA, M2), a matrix protein (M1) just below the lipid bilayer, a ribonucleoprotein core (consisting of ...