by Cardiff University Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of scientists has shown that a key type of immune cell “self-renews” in humans. It is an unexpected discovery, as it was previously thought this specific type of “senescent” killer immune cell had reached “end-stage” and would die following one more stint at helping people fight off—or...
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have identified a rare, new cell in the immune system with “Jekyll and Hyde properties”. These cells play a key protective role in immunity to infection but – if unregulated – also mediate tissue damage in autoimmune disorders. The findings should help us design more effective vaccines...
Posted Today Every tissue in the human body has an immune cell in it called a macrophage. Macrophages play important roles in the immune system’s initial response to bacteria, viruses and wounds. But beyond that, each tissue macrophage also has specialized functions, tuned to the needs of that particular tissue. For example, macrophages in the brain, called microglia, help support normal brain development....
Scientists at the University of Dundee have carried out one of the most comprehensive studies into how immune cells sense and respond to their environment to fight infection and destroy tumours. UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE Scientists at the University of Dundee have carried out one of the most comprehensive studies into how immune cells sense and...
LA JOLLA, CA–Compare any two people’s DNA and you will find millions of points where their genetic codes differ. Now, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are sharing a trove of data that will be critical for deciphering how this natural genetic variation shapes the immune system’s ability to protect our health. IMAGE:...
Neutrophils—short-lived, highly mobile and versatile—outnumber all other immune cells circulating through the bloodstream. Yet, despite the cells’ abundance, the progenitor cell that only gives rise to neutrophils had eluded all efforts to track it down. Now, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology identified a progenitor of neutrophils in the bone marrow of...
T cells fight pathogens and tumors: Researchers from the Universities of Tübingen and Lübeck present a simple and fast method to rapidly assess their function. The new method identifies structural changes in the integrins, certain molecules expressed on the cell surface of the T cells, and thus detects whether the T lymphocytes are working effectively. Credit: Stoyan...
Sumanth Prabhu. University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have identified a therapeutic target to prevent or delay heart failure from pressure overload of the heart, and a potential biomarker for the same. They say their animal studies carry clinical and translational potential. In a study published in the journal JACC: Basic to Translational Science, Sumanth...
