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Immunoassay reagents intended to perform qualitative and/or quantitative analyses of body fluids to detect and/or measure the level of one or more of a group (at least 20) of immunologically distinct proteins found in blood and tissue fluids (complement components). These proteins are synthesized by the liver and are normally present in the blood as functionally inactive molecules. Complement components of the classical and final pathway are numbered from C1 to C9 (except C4), and those of the alternative path are designated by single capitals (e.g., B, D), except C3, which is common to both paths. Lower-case suffixes (i.e., a, b, c) denote fragments into which a component has been split. In living organisms, complement components can interact with cell membranes to destroy viruses, bacteria, and cells; abnormal serum levels of complement components may be due to either inherited or acquired diseases.
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