[Immune complexes and their pathogenetic significance].

The specific binding of antigens by antibodies leads to the development of antigen-antibody-complexes. Apart from the connected with this and desirable immunological protection immune complexes, however, may also have an pathogenic effect on certain conditions (e. g. transmission of the capacity of phagocytosis), depositing themselves in the vascular regions concerned, activating complement and after binding to cell membranes causing the release of unspecific mediators. Finally these lead through increased vascular permeability, local ischaemia and hyperaemia, respectively, and the release of proteolytic enzymes to a lesion of the tissues. In a series of in most cases chronic inflammatory diseases depositions of immune complexes may be proved in the tissues concerned. However, it is difficult to establish exactly in the individual case, whether they considerably participated in the development of the clinical picture. By analogies to experimentally produced immune complex diseases at least some entities of diseases (e. g. lupus erythematodes disseminatus) or defined local alterations of the tissues (e. g. glomerulonephritis of immune complex type) may be defined pathogenetically.