Fig. 6: Cleavage of C2 and Formation
of C3 Convertase during the Classical Complement Pathway
C2 binds to the
C4b and the enzyme C1 subsequently cleaves C2 into C2a and C2b. The classical
complement pathway is now activated. The C4b2a functions as a C3 convertase
that can enzymatically cleave hundreds of molecules of C3 into C3a and C3b.
