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Updated: May 7, 2026

Generation of Human Alloantigen-specific T Cells from Peripheral Blood
Published on: November 21, 2014
T cell activation is determined by the number of presented antigens
Janosch Deeg1, Markus Axmann, Jovana Matic
1Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems , Heisenbergstraße 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
Antigen recognition is a key event during T cell activation. Here, we introduce nanopatterned antigen arrays that mimic the antigen presenting cell surface during T cell activation. The assessment of activation related events revealed the requirement of a minimal density of 90-140 stimulating major histocompatibility complex class II proteins (pMHC) molecules per μm(2). We demonstrate that these substrates induce T cell responses in a pMHC dose-dependent manner and that the number of presented pMHCs dominates over local pMHC density.
Antigen recognition is a key event during T cell activation. Here, we introduce nanopatterned antigen arrays that mimic the antigen presenting cell surface during T cell activation. The assessment of activation related events revealed the requirement of a minimal density of 90-140 stimulating major histocompatibility complex class II proteins (pMHC) molecules per μm(2). We demonstrate that these substrates induce T cell responses in a pMHC dose-dependent manner and that the number of presented pMHCs dominates over local pMHC density.
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