Chemicals and Drugs

Complement Membrane Attack Complex

A product of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION cascade, regardless of the pathways, that forms transmembrane channels causing disruption of the target CELL MEMBRANE and cell lysis. It is formed by the sequential assembly of terminal complement components (COMPLEMENT C5B; COMPLEMENT C6; COMPLEMENT C7; COMPLEMENT C8; and COMPLEMENT C9) into the target membrane. The resultant C5b-8-poly-C9 is the membrane attack complex or MAC.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A product of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION cascade, regardless of the pathways, that forms transmembrane channels causing disruption of the target CELL MEMBRANE and cell lysis. It is formed by the sequential assembly of terminal complement components (COMPLEMENT C5B; COMPLEMENT C6; COMPLEMENT C7; COMPLEMENT C8; and COMPLEMENT C9) into the target membrane. The resultant C5b-8-poly-C9 is the membrane attack complex or MAC.

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Classification

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Drug Class

Pharmacological Action

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See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

11 entry terms
  • C 5b-9
  • C5b-8-poly-C9
  • C5b-9
  • Complement Complex C5b-9
  • Cytolytic Terminal Complement Complex
  • Membrane Attack Complex
  • Terminal Complement Complex
  • C5b 8 poly C9
  • Complement Complex C5b 9
  • Complement Complex, Terminal
  • Complex, Terminal Complement

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

29 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, drug effects, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, ultrastructure, urine.

MeSH Record

History Note

90

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Complement (1973-1989)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Complement Membrane Attack Complex. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D015938. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D015938
  2. Complement Membrane Attack Complex. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complement_membrane_attack_complex
  3. Complement Membrane Attack Complex. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1919945