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| | Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) |
 | | Mannose-binding lectin (MBL), also called mannose binding protein (MBP), is a calcium-dependent serum protein that plays a role in the innate immune response by binding to carbohydrates on the surface of a wide range of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa) where it can activate the complement system or act directly as an opsonin (Anders, 2001). |
 | | Mannose-binding lectin is a member of the collectin family of proteins, which are made in the liver and can opsonize bacteria by tagging the surface of a pathogen to facilitate recognition and ingestion by phagocytes. |
 | | When MBL binds to its target (for example, mannose on the surface of a bacterium), the MASP protein functions like a convertase to clip C3 into C3a and C3b. |
| www.bio.davidson.edu /courses/immunology/Students/spring2006/Mohr/MBL.html (2218 words) |
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