Suicide handshakes kill precursor T cells that pose autoimmune dangers

(Georgia Institute of Technology) The mechanisms that trigger the elimination of T cells that pose autoimmune dangers work very mechanically via physical forces. T cell precursors must loosen their grip on human antigens within a reasonable time in order to advance to being T cells and defend the body. But if precursor T cells, thymocytes, grip the human antigens too tightly, the immune cells must die. Here's how the grip of death works.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news