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The role of the T follicular helper cells in allergic disease

D M Kemeny1

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore. mickdm@nus.edu.sg

Cellular & Molecular Immunology
|August 21, 2012
PubMed

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells were discovered just over a decade ago as germinal centre T cells that help B cells make antibodies. Included in this role is affinity maturation and isotype switching. It is here that their functions become less clear. Tfh cells principally produce IL-21 which inhibits class switching to IgE. Recent studies have questioned whether the germinal centre is the main site of IgE class switching or IgE affinity maturation. In this review, I will examine the evidence that these cells are responsible for regulating IgE class switching and the relationship between Tfh cells and T helper 2 (Th2) effector cells.

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