Cooperative cross-linking between two sets of membrane receptors: a model for B and T lymphocyte collaboration in immune response.
A molecular mechanism for B and T lymphocyte collaboration is proposed. Two sets of polivalent receptors, each one on a cell type, would interact with different epitopes of the antigen, resulting in a cross-linking of the receptors as the initial step in B lymphocyte activation. The mechanism can explain many known featrues of humoral immune response and accords with experimental findings on the blast transformation of B lymphocytes.
D000917:Antibody Formation; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008954:Models, Biological; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D011955:Receptors, Drug