Does complexity belie a simple decision--on the Efroni and Cohen critique of the minimal model for a self-nonself discrimination.
The immune system somatically generates a large and random paratopic repertoire that must be sorted into those specificities (anti-self) which, if expressed, would debilitate the host and those specificities (anti-nonself) which, if not expressed, would leave the host unprotected from infection. The critique of Efroni and Cohen that minimal models are misleading and without heuristic value is evaluated by illustrative examples.
Cohn
Melvin
M
Conceptual Immunology Group, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. cohn@salk.edu
D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D009626:Terminology as Topic