Ficolins

Ficolins are pattern recognition receptors that bind to acetyl groups present in the carbohydrates of bacterial surfaces and mediate activation of the lectin pathway of the complement cascade.

Ficolin-3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FCN3 gene. Ficolin-3 was initially identified as H-ficolin, in which H is after the Hakata antigen that was previously found as an autoantigen in patients who lived in the city of Hakata.

Ficolin-2, which was initially identified as L-ficolin, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FCN2 gene.

Ficolin-1, and also commonly termed M-ficolin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FCN1 gene.