Model TE1038 - C3a Mouse

C3 is central to the classical, alternative and lectin pathways of complement activation.

The synthesis of C3 is tissue-specific and is modulated in response to a variety of stimulatory agents. During complement activation, C3 is proteolytically cleaved resulting in release of the anaphylatoxic peptide C3a.

C3a is a small polypeptide consisting of 74 amino acids. C3a itself is very short-lived and in serum cleaved rapidly into the more stable C3a-desArg (also called acylation stimulating protein, ASP). Therefore, measurement of C3a-desArg allows reliable conclusions about the level of complement activation in the samples.