When lymphocytes run out of steam

摘要

Lymphocytes are immune cells that play a crucial part in protection against microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. The two main types of lymphocyte are T cells and B cells, which, in the presence of antigen molecules derived from microbes, undergo a series of molecular changes that induce a state of activation. This response is driven by antigen receptors on the cells' surface, and leads to rapid cell proliferation and augmented immune protection (Fig. la). Proliferation under these conditions depends on metabolic adaptation, which allows immune cells to synthesize DNA and RNA molecules and the proteins needed for cell division. In this issue, Martin et al. (page 288) link this metabolic requirement of proliferating lymphocytes to a newly described immune-deficiency disease.