Transgenes and knock-outs in autoimmunity

While there have not been any earth-shattering events during the past year relating to the use of germline manipulation in the study of autoimmunity, several new developments have brought interesting insights into the way the immune system deals (or fails to deal) with autoantigens. Several systems described recently have the potential to help us understand what makes an autoantigen, and what events lead to a pathogenic reaction.