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From plankton to pathogen recognition

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Two studies in the mid-1990s cracked a mystery of innate immunity–how foreign invaders are recognized. One study found that signaling through Toll-like receptor 4 activated the immune response. Another identified the signal: lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell envelope component of Gram-negative bacteria. The discoveries brought full circle observations that began with starfish in the 1880s.

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Figure 1: Metchnikoff's model organisms.
Figure 2: Touching the TLR.

Ann Thomson

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Dermatology, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA

    Robert L Modlin

  2. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA

    Robert L Modlin & Genhong Cheng

Authors
  1. Robert L Modlin
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  2. Genhong Cheng
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Modlin, R., Cheng, G. From plankton to pathogen recognition. Nat Med 10, 1173–1174 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1104-1173

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