T cell ‘atlas’ paves way for new vaccines

Friday, January 4, 2013

COLUMBIA U. (US) — The first-ever “atlas” of immune cells in the human body may lead to new vaccine strategies and immunotherapies.

Researchers say the atlas, which they created by analyzing tissues harvested from organ donors, could provide a unique view of the distribution and function of T lymphocytes in healthy individuals.

T cells, a type of white blood cell, play a major role in cell-mediated immunity, in which the immune system produces various types of cells to defend the body against pathogens, cancer cells, and foreign substances.

Source: Futurity (link opens in a new window)

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