Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Generation of Human Alloantigen-specific T Cells from Peripheral Blood
Published on: November 21, 2014
Specificity of T-cell alloreactivity
1Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
T-cell alloreactivity is a well-established phenomenon, but its molecular basis has remained enigmatic. Although there are differences between T-cell recognition of conventional and allogeneic antigens, it has become increasingly clear that they share many similarities. Recent insights into the specificity of the T-cell receptor (TCR) for peptide and the seeming intrinsic affinity of the TCR for the surface of the MHC molecule have provided a better understanding of how the TCR and peptide-MHC complexes interact. Here, we highlight the similarities and differences between conventional and allogeneic recognition of TCR-peptide-MHC complexes, and discuss how our view of allorecognitionhas changed, as well as the implications for TCR specificity and T-cell development.
T-cell alloreactivity is a well-established phenomenon, but its molecular basis has remained enigmatic. Although there are differences between T-cell recognition of conventional and allogeneic antigens, it has become increasingly clear that they share many similarities. Recent insights into the specificity of the T-cell receptor (TCR) for peptide and the seeming intrinsic affinity of the TCR for the surface of the MHC molecule have provided a better understanding of how the TCR and peptide-MHC complexes interact. Here, we highlight the similarities and differences between conventional and allogeneic recognition of TCR-peptide-MHC complexes, and discuss how our view of allorecognitionhas changed, as well as the implications for TCR specificity and T-cell development.
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