title: From the mechanisms of lymphocyte activation to internal activity in the immune system.
abstract: The principles of lymphocyte activation were summarized for all three sets of immunocompetent cells: B cells, cytotoxic cells and helper T lymphocytes. They were then used to derive the basic mechanisms and specificities which drive internal activity in the normal immune system and which select available antibody repertoires. It was postulated that "natural antibodies" are induced by "natural helper cells" and are selected on the basis of their idiotypic profiles, which are complementary to available T-helper-cell repertoires. "Natural idiotypes" would then carry idiotopes similar to MHC epitopes, the predominant germ-line specificity of T-cell repertoires.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D037102:Lectins