Complement component 8 is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respon ...

involved in the

complement system The complement system, also known as complement cascade, is a part of the immune system that enhances (complements) the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and ...

. It is part of the membrane attack complex (MAC). A

hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic infor ...

deficiency of C8 can result in increased

susceptibility Susceptibility may refer to: Physics and engineering In physics the susceptibility is a quantification for the change of an extensive property under variation of an intensive property. The word may refer to: * In physics, the susceptibility of a ...

Neisseria ''Neisseria'' is a large genus of bacteria that colonize the mucosal surfaces of many animals. Of the 11 species that colonize humans, only two are pathogens, ''N. meningitidis'' and '' N. gonorrhoeae''. ''Neisseria'' species are Gram-negativ ...

infections, such as

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion ...

and

gonorrhea Gonorrhea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium '' Neisseria gonorrhoeae''. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Infected men may experience pain or burning with ...

Structure

C8 is a heterotrimer; it consists of three different subunits. These are called C8 alpha, beta and gamma chains, encoded by the

genes In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

''C8A'', ''C8B'' and ''C8G'' respectively.

References

External links

* Complement system {{gene-9-stub