Discussions

C3 convertase belongs to a family of serine proteases and is necessary for innate immunity as a part of the complement system which eventuates in opsonization of particles, release of inflammatory peptides, C5 convertase formation and cell lysis. There are three pathways of complement activation, the classical pathway, lectin pathway, and alternative pathway. All pathways converge at the level of the C3 molecule, where downstream events can be amplified by a mechanism of positive feedback supported by complement convertases, the classical/lectin pathway C3 convertase (C4b2a) or the alternative pathway C3 convertase (C3bBb).