Ongoing Studies Material found on the MCG Web is for informational purposes only, not medical advice. We regret that we cannot respond to personal or general health questions. If information presented here seems pertinent to your situation, please seek help from a qualified health care professional near you. How T-cells learn to fight off infections and other invaders is the focus of researchers at the Medical College of Georgia.
Education begins early for T-cells, while the fetus is still developing, and is complete by puberty.
T-cells learn to tell good substances from bad through the eyes of a screen called the major histocompatibility complex, or MHC molecule. T-cells cannot see any type of bacteria, parasite or virus directly. MHC moves inside the cell, picking up peptides, which are pieces of protein derived from a variety of sources, then showing them to the T-cells to see if they are interested in reacting, he said. And, after that, what kind of antigen it sees. Figuring out how to make T-cells respond or bolster their response to certain desired antigens, such as the flu virus or even cancer, could result in improved vaccines and treatments, Dr. Ignatowicz said.