Fig. 8: Enhanced Attachment of Bacteria to Phagocytes by the Opsonin C3b

When body defense pathways known as the complement pathways are activated, one of the beneficial defense proteins made is called C3b. One portion of C3b binds to bacterial surface proteins and another portion binds to C3b receptors such as CD-1 on phagocytes. The process of enhanced attachment is called opsonization.
Illustration of Enhanced Attachment of Bacteria to Phagocytes by the Opsonin C3b .jpg by Gary E. Kaiser, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology, The Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville Campus
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://cwoer.ccbcmd.edu/science/microbiology/index_gos.html.

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Last updated: August, 2019
Please send comments and inquiries to Dr. Gary Kaiser