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Related Concept Videos

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Antigen Processing Pathways01:31

Antigen Processing Pathways

MHC molecules are key players in the immune response, enabling T cells to recognize and respond to specific antigens. They are present on the surface of all nucleated cells in the body and are instrumental in presenting antigens to T cells and activating them. T cells recognize the MHC-antigen complex and initiate an immune response. MHC class I and MHC class II are two main types of MHC molecules, each associated with a distinct antigen processing pathway.
MHC Class I: Presenting Endogenous...
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
B Cell Activation and Differentiation01:24

B Cell Activation and Differentiation

The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Antigen Presenting Cells01:22

Antigen Presenting Cells

The immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that protects the body from foreign invaders. T cells, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in this process. They recognize and attack foreign substances, such as pathogens, that enter the body.
T cells require the help of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which process foreign antigens into smaller fragments that can be recognized by T cells. These APCs are highly specialized cells that efficiently internalize antigens...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...

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Use of Single Chain MHC Technology to Investigate Co-agonism in Human CD8+ T Cell Activation
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Use of Single Chain MHC Technology to Investigate Co-agonism in Human CD8+ T Cell Activation

Published on: February 28, 2019

Do T cells need endogenous peptides for activation?

Nicholas R J Gascoigne1

  • 1Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. gascoigne@scripps.edu

Nature Reviews. Immunology
|October 11, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Endogenous peptide-MHC complexes are crucial for T-cell stimulation, acting differently in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. This challenges previous assumptions about their necessity in T-cell receptor triggering.

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cellular Biology
  • T-cell immunology

Background:

  • T cells detect minute amounts of antigenic peptide-MHC ligands amidst abundant endogenous peptide-MHC complexes on antigen-presenting cells.
  • The precise role and necessity of endogenous peptide-MHC complexes in T-cell receptor (TCR) triggering remain debated.
  • Existing data suggest a potential involvement of endogenous peptide-MHC complexes in TCR signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To argue for the essential requirement of endogenous peptide-MHC complexes in T-cell activation.
  • To elucidate the distinct functional mechanisms of endogenous peptide-MHC complexes in CD4(+) versus CD8(+) T-cell stimulation.
  • To address the controversy surrounding the necessity and function of these complexes in T-cell responses.

Main Methods:

  • This is an Opinion article, presenting a theoretical argument based on existing literature.
  • It synthesizes and interprets published data on T-cell-antigen-presenting cell interactions.
  • No new experimental data were generated; it relies on critical review and analysis.

Main Results:

  • The article posits that endogenous peptide-MHC complexes are indispensable for initiating T-cell responses.
  • It proposes differential mechanisms of action for these complexes in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells.
  • This perspective highlights a previously underappreciated requirement for endogenous ligands in T-cell activation.

Conclusions:

  • Endogenous peptide-MHC complexes are necessary for T-cell stimulation.
  • Their function in TCR triggering differs significantly between CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells.
  • This understanding has implications for T-cell immunology and potential therapeutic strategies.