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Control of the immune response by events at the lymphocyte surface

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Summary

The status of the matrix theory of antigen presentation to lymphocyte receptors is discussed in the light of recent and current work. The theory gives an adequate account of the T-B lymphocyte cooperation, the role of macrophages in antigen potentiation, the special immunogenic capacity of polymeric antigens and the central role of antibody in initiating tolerance. By extension it accounts also for the synergistic role of red cells and other membranes in potentiating lymphocyte transformation by PHA. It does not account adequately for signal discrimination. The importance of bridging in anti-immunoglobulin experiments, and studies on control by anti-immunoglobulin complexes and by antigen-antibody complexes indicate that factors other than net antigen concentration play an important part in the control of events at the lymphocyte surface. These factors are provisionally identified as topographical, but no comprehensive theory of receptor binding, pattern or density is yet formulated. It appears likely that comparable toporaphical factors will be important in other kinds of cell interactions and in the control of morphogenesis.

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  1. National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, England

    N. A. Mitchison

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Mitchison, N.A. Control of the immune response by events at the lymphocyte surface. In Vitro 7, 88–94 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628267

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