The growth threshold conjecture: a theoretical framework for understanding T-cell tolerance.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Arias CF
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4632576 | biostudies-other | 2015 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
Publications
The growth threshold conjecture: a theoretical framework for understanding T-cell tolerance.
Arias Clemente F CF Herrero Miguel A MA Cuesta José A JA Acosta Francisco J FJ Fernández-Arias Cristina C
Royal Society open science 20150708 7
Adaptive immune responses depend on the capacity of T cells to target specific antigens. As similar antigens can be expressed by pathogens and host cells, the question naturally arises of how can T cells discriminate friends from foes. In this work, we suggest that T cells tolerate cells whose proliferation rates remain below a permitted threshold. Our proposal relies on well-established facts about T-cell dynamics during acute infections: T-cell populations are elastic (they expand and contract ...[more]
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