Neonatal exposure to antigens of commensal bacteria promotes broader immune repertoire

(University of Alabama at Birmingham) Researchers have added fresh evidence that early exposure to vaccine-, bacterial- or microbiota-derived antigens has a dramatic effect on the diversity of antibodies an adult mammal will have to fight future infections by pathogens. This antibody diversity is called the clonal repertoire -- basically different single cells with distinct antibody potential that can multiply into a large clone of cells, all producing that distinct antibody.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news