Cell death and the maintenance of immunological memory

Yates, A. and Callard, R. (2001) Cell death and the maintenance of immunological memory. Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems: Series B, 1(1), pp. 43-59. (doi: 10.3934/dcdsb.2001.1.43)

Abstract

Immunological memory is found in diverse populations of a class of lymphocytes called T cells, that are held at roughly constant numbers. Its composition is in continuous flux as we encounter new pathogens and cells are lost. The mechanisms which preserve the memory T cell population in the face of these uncertain factors are largely unknown. We propose a mechanism for homeostasis, driven by density-dependent cell death, that both fits experimental data and naturally preserves the clonal composition of the T cell pool with fluctuating cell numbers. It also provides clues as to the source of differences in diversity between T cell memory subpopulations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Yates, Professor Andrew
• Authors: Yates, A., and Callard, R.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Discrete and Continuous Dynamical Systems: Series B
• Publisher: American Institute of Mathematical Sciences
• ISSN: 1531-3492
• ISSN (Online): 1553-524X