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Evidence that macrophages are programmed to die after activating autologous, cloned, antigen‐specific, CD4 + T cells
Author(s) -
Richardson Bruce C.,
Buckmaster Tarek,
Keren David F.,
Johnson Kent J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830230708
Subject(s) - biology , immune system , apoptosis , microbiology and biotechnology , monocyte , immunology , homeostasis , programmed cell death , bone marrow , antigen , intracellular , macrophage , genetics , in vitro
Abstract The bone marrow produces large numbers of monocytes daily, but the mechanisms balancing production and elimination are unknown. In this report we demonstrate that macrophages (Mϕ) undergo apoptosis after activating autologous CD4 + cells. Since apoptosis is a genetically programmed response, these results argue that MΦ death can be part of a normal immune response. This event may have relevance to monocyte/Mϕ homeostasis, as well as immune response regulation and host defenses to intracellular organisms.