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Self/non‐self discrimination and the problem of keeping T cells alive
Author(s) -
Sprent Jonathan,
Cho JaeHo
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/sj.icb.7100139
Subject(s) - self tolerance , immune system , immune recognition , immunology , degree (music) , immune tolerance , biology , t cell , physics , acoustics
Burnet appreciated the requirement for self/non‐self discrimination and presciently postulated elimination of auto‐aggressive cells during early life. He could not have known that, for T cells, a limited degree of autoreactivity is beneficial for the immune system. Here, we review evidence that recognition of self‐components keeps T cells alive and regulates self‐tolerance.