This authoritative, single-source reference provides comprehensive examinations of the complement system-offering recent findings in basic science on the structure, biology, physiology, and pathophysiology of complement proteins and the latest therapeutic approaches towards the control of complement-mediated diseases. Written by over 40 international experts from North America, Europe, and Asia, The Human Complement System in Health and Disease describes the molecular architecture of the complement system details the structure of complement genes discusses gene organization as well as the topology and chemistry of ligand-binding sites and catalytic centers of complement proteins analyzes complement organization and activation, including phylogeny and the newly discovered lectin pathway elucidates the regulation of complement gene expression and the structure and function of bioactive peptides explicates opsonic and immunoregulatory properties of complement fragments, endothelial responses, and interactions with viruses and bacteria and more!