Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and the complement system plays a
central role in innate immunity. Increasing evidence exists that the complement system is
activated within atherosclerotic plaques. However, the role of complement in atherogenesis
is not fully understood. Whereas complement activation by the classic and lectin pathway
may be protective by removing apoptotic cells and cell debris from atherosclerotic plaques,
activation of the complement cascade by the alternative pathway and beyond the C3 …