Figure 1.

Scheme for the purification of mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-associated serine protease (MASPs) from human plasma. Human EDTA plasma was mixed with recombinant human mannan-binding lectin (rMBL)–Sepharose in the presence of high salt (1 M NaCl) causing to dissociate MASP– pattern recognition molecule (PRM) complexes. The ionic strength was decreased by dilution and excess CaCl₂ was added to allow complexes to reassociate. MASPs (blue) are distributed between the original PRMs (green) from blood and the immobilized MBL (red). Soluble PRMs and soluble complexes are removed during the wash step. After washing, MASPs bound to rMBL-Sepharose were eluted with a buffer containing EDTA and high salt.