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Letter

Nature Genetics 31, 424–428 (1 August 2002) | doi:10.1038/ng912

Uncontrolled C3 activation causes membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in mice deficient in complement factor H

Matthew C. Pickering , H. Terence Cook , Joanna Warren , Anne E. Bygrave , Jill Moss , Mark J. Walport & Marina Botto

The alternative pathway of complement is activated continuously in vivo through the C3 'tick-over' pathway. This pathway is triggered by the hydrolysis of C3, resulting in the formation of C3 convertase.