Impact of C3a on Intestinal Epithelial Mediator Production

Our bodies have a natural defence system called Complement that is intended to destroy bacteria. There are lots of different molecules making-up Complement. Each one gets cut into two to become active and cuts the next one in a predetermined order. Complement is found in the intestines and we thought that the epithelial cell lining of the intestines might be able to detect the cut molecules. Our early analyses show this is the case. Now we will do experiments to discover what one particular cut molecule called C3a does to intestinal epithelial cells.