Abstract: The invention refers to an in vitro method of functionally determining at physiological conditions deficiencies in the lectin pathway of the complement system, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a sample of mammalian blood, serum, plasma or another body fluid; (b) preventing in the sample the activation of the classical pathway by contacting the sample with an inhibitor of a molecule of the C1 complex of the complement system; (e) preventing in the sample the activation of the alternative pathway; (d) activating the lectin pathway in the sample; and (e) determining in the sample any activation of the autologous C5b-9 complex.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of the detection of prion diseases. The invention provides a binding molecule or antibody specifically reactive with an epitope which is exposed on a part of an aberrant conformer (PrPSc) of a prion protein after treatment of said conformer with a protease wherein said epitope is not or only partly exposed on a prion protein which has not been treated with a protease.