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B cell and T cell structure and function
Introduction to T cells and B cells T cell and B cell lymphocytes work together to recognize foreign substances called antigens. As the primary agents responsible for adaptive immunity, T cells and B cells are sometimes called the “special ops” of the immune system. Inherent structural features of the B and T cell receptors are…
Read MoreDiversity and differentiation in the adaptive immune system
Introduction T cell receptors (TCRs) and B cell receptors (BCRs) exhibit an astounding amount of diversity. Estimates vary widely, but theoretically, there can be as many as 1025 different receptor combinations. At any given moment, there are likely on the order of 108 different receptors in the human body. This diversity is born out of…
Read MoreThe immune repertoire and adaptome
Defining the immune repertoire and adaptome Each B and T cell produced by the body has only one receptor clonotype. Because the number of cells in the adaptive immune system is finite, if one clonotype expands, others will be displaced. The adaptive immune system is thus made up of a landscape of cells that fluctuate…
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