Understanding T cell activation could lead to new vaccines
Most current vaccines work by stimulating a class of white blood cells called B cells to make antibodies that circulate and control infections in the blood. For decades, scientists have been seeking a new type of vaccine that activates another player in the immune system called a T cell to fight off infections within different organs. A small number of a type of T cell, called memory T cells, are generated following an infection or immunization. Some memory T cells patrol the body looking for repeat infection, while others migrate into organs and remain there; these are called tissue-resident memory cells. These cells can be found where viruses and bacteria can get into the body, such as the skin, the gut and the female reproductive tract, as well as organs that are highly prone to injury, such as the brain. In a study a team of researchers, led by Aron E. Lukacher, chair and professor of microbiology and immunology, and Saumya Maru, a medical and doctoral student, has uncovered ...