Recent research into the Guillain-Barré syndromes (GBS) has focused on anti-ganglioside antibodies that correlate with specific clinical phenotypes. Our increasing understanding of the role of antibodies in mediating GBS has naturally focused our attention on complement involvement in the pathological procession. We have studied the axonal and glial components of the murine motor nerve terminal as a model site of antibody and complement mediated injury. Such studies are providing us with clear information on the molecular components underlying our clinicopathological model for GBS and have lead us to the testing of emerging complement therapeutics that are potentially suitable for human use.