Final answer:
MBL and ficolins are components of the innate immune system. MBL binds to carbohydrates on pathogens to initiate the complement cascade, while ficolins recognize carbohydrate structures on pathogens to activate the complement system.
Step-by-step explanation:
MBL (Mannose-Binding Lectin) and ficolins are both components of the innate immune system and play a role in defense against microbial infections.
MBL is a soluble pattern recognition molecule that can bind to carbohydrates on the surface of microbial pathogens, initiating the complement cascade and enhancing phagocytosis.
Ficolins, on the other hand, are a family of soluble proteins that also recognize certain carbohydrate structures on pathogens and activate the complement system. They can also directly interact with immune cells to enhance phagocytosis and eliminate pathogens.
In terms of structure, MBL and ficolins both have a collagen-like domain and a lectin domain, which enables them to bind to carbohydrates. However, the specific carbohydrate recognition patterns differ between MBL and ficolins.