Nearly half of the proteins in the complement system serve in regulation. Control at the central step of C3 activation is provided by an orchestrated interplay of membrane and plasma regulators. A model system employing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human regulators was employed to assist in making functional comparisons. Also, in this experimental setup, the pathway and magnitude of complement activation can be varied while monitoring C4b/C3b deposition and cleavage as well as cytotoxicity. This review describes lessons learned and the application of this model for functionally characterizing mutations in regulators associated with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.