Tolerance by process of elimination?Tolerance by process of elimination The process of elimination is a basic logical tool to solve real world problems. By subsequently removing options that may be deemed impossible, illogical, or can be easily ruled out due to some sort of explicit understanding relative to the entire set of options, the pool of ? Exactly how the immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. recognizes substances fromoutside the body as foreign is a mystery immunologists would like to solve. Scientists have hypothesized that groups of T cells T cells A type of white blood cell produced in the thymus gland. T cells are an important part of the immune system. Infants born with an underdeveloped or absent thymus do not have a normal level of T cells in their blood. potentially capable of reacting with substances in the body are either eliminated early in their development or prevented in some way from becoming activated after maturation. Recent evidence from scientists at the University of ColoradoHealth Sciences Center and the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver supports the clonal elimination theory, according to two reports in the April 24 CELL. Using monoclonal antibodies, the researchers measured T cell concentrations of surface receptors for a protein crucial in antigen recognition processes. They found that T cells with the receptor are selectively removed from the body's T cell pool early, in a process that may take place while the lymphocytes Lymphocytes Small white blood cells that bear the major responsibility for carrying out the activities of the immune system; they number about 1 trillion. are maturing in the thymus thymus Pyramid-shaped lymphoid organ (see lymphoid tissue) between the breastbone and the heart. Starting at puberty, it shrinks slowly. It has no lymphatic vessels draining into it and does not filter lymph; instead, stem cells in its outer cortex develop into . |
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