Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

Which molecule is important in chemotaxis?

1. C5a

2. IL-6

3. IL-10

4. TNF-alpha

The correct answer is: C5a

C5a is a crucial molecule in the process of chemotaxis, which is the movement of cells in response to chemical stimuli. Specifically, C5a is a component of the complement system, which plays a significant role in innate immunity. When tissues are damaged or when there is an infection, C5a is generated and acts as a powerful chemotactic factor. It binds to specific receptors on the surface of various immune cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes, leading to their migration towards the site of infection or inflammation. This recruitment of immune cells is vital for mounting an effective immune response, allowing the body to target and eliminate pathogens more efficiently. In the context of the other options, while IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha are important cytokines involved in immune responses and inflammation, they do not specifically function as chemotactic factors in the same way that C5a does. IL-6 is primarily involved in immune responses and regulation of inflammation, IL-10 acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that helps modulate immune responses, and TNF-alpha is involved in systemic inflammation and can activate immune cells but does not directly mediate chemotaxis like C5a does. Thus, C5