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Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Use of Single Chain MHC Technology to Investigate Co-agonism in Human CD8+ T Cell Activation
Published on: February 28, 2019
MHC class I multimers
1MRC Human Immunology Unit, Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK. mysun@worf.molbiol.ox.ac.uk
T lymphocytes play a key role in the immune response to both foreign and self peptide antigens, which they recognize in combination with MHC molecules. In the past it has been difficult to analyse objectively the specificity, frequency and intensity of T cell responses. The recent application of fluorescent-labelled MHC class I multimers, however, has provided a powerful experimental approach to the direct visualisation of antigen-specific T cells. As a result, our perspective of how T cells respond to both viruses and other antigens in vivo has been greatly enhanced.
T lymphocytes play a key role in the immune response to both foreign and self peptide antigens, which they recognize in combination with MHC molecules. In the past it has been difficult to analyse objectively the specificity, frequency and intensity of T cell responses. The recent application of fluorescent-labelled MHC class I multimers, however, has provided a powerful experimental approach to the direct visualisation of antigen-specific T cells. As a result, our perspective of how T cells respond to both viruses and other antigens in vivo has been greatly enhanced.
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