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Author Spotlight: Elucidating the Pathways of TFH Cell Differentiation in Acute LCMV Challenges
Published on: April 26, 2024
Identification of Antigen Presenting Cell Subsets Supporting Human Tfh Differentiation
Lamine Alaoui1, Mélanie Durand1, Elodie Segura2
1Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, U932, Paris, France.
Abstract:
CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are essential for initiating and regulating efficient humoral responses in secondary lymphoid organs. Tfh polarization and differentiation is driven by multiple stimuli delivered by antigen presenting cells (APCs). APCs represent a complex population of immune cells, comprising several subpopulations (dendritic cells and macrophages) that are distinguished by their phenotype, ontogeny, and functions. In order to better identify and understand the role of the different APC subsets in human Tfh biology, we have used in vitro assays based on the co-culture of APCs and T cells. This chapter describes two complementary protocols. The first protocol describes an assay to study the capacity of APCs to drive Tfh polarization from naive CD4+ T cells. The second protocol is designed to address the role of APCs in modulating effector functions of mature Tfh cells.
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