Experts in Medical & Radiologic Imaging
RADIOLOGY
SECOND OPINION
Medical Dictionary
C 5b-9
The assembly of complement plasma glycoproteins C5b, C6, C7, C8, and polymeric C9 as a group on biological membranes. The complex forms transmembrane channels which displace lipid molecules and other constituents, thus disrupting the phospholipid bilayer of target cells leading to cell lysis by osmotic leakage. The formation of the membrane attack complex is the terminal step in the complement cascade.
