6533b838fe1ef96bd12a3e40

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Complement lysis: a hole is a hole.

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description

recent experimental advances 21, it is now possible to produce MACs with a precise molecular composition 7 for better designed experiments. In my judgement, however, it will always be problematic to propose a single unifying mechanism for MAC action simply because MAC effects are not uniform. The reason for attempting to classify MACs as leaky patch or channel formers is a desire to wield Occam's razor and carve out the simplest unifying theory. But this razor often cuts one's throat, especially when it comes to immunological processes. A system that degranulates platelets, 'kills' such widely diverse targets as artificial liposomes, 'dead' viruses and erythrocytes, metabolically active cells, and even double-membraned bacteria will most likely not derive such effectiveness from a single process as simple as channel or leaky patch formation.