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Reply: Some Afterthoughts – Pragmatic and Philosophical
Author(s) -
Sinclair N. R. StC.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3083.2001.00892.x
Subject(s) - signalling , phagocytosis , immune system , limiting , antigen , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , t cell , biology , balance (ability) , immunology , neuroscience , genetics , engineering , mechanical engineering
Conditions under which one searches for Fc‐signalling determine the success in finding it. A major condition is that one must have enough T cells to drive a T‐cell‐dependent response, but not enough T‐cell activity to obscure the Fc‐signalling. Antigen‐masking and destructive phagocytosis of antigen occur. Under conditions and in areas of the body where T‐cell activities are limiting and Fc‐signalling can not be blocked, Fc‐signalling may be observed. The balance between costimulation and coinhibition is a major determinant in immune responsiveness, because costimulation and coinhibition interfere with each other.