Proteins and the Molecular Basis of Cell-Mediated Immunity

摘要

The mechanisms of cell-mediated immunity are extremely complex and involve several cell surface and soluble protein molecules. The identification of these proteins and an understanding of their functions have been augmented greatly by the combined use of in vitro functional assays and the tools of molecular biology. These methods have been especially valuable in identifying and characterizing the proteins involved in T-cell activation and antigen recognition. Several of these structures have been well characterized, and a model has evolved to describe their organization and interactions. Table 1 is a summary of the salient features of protein antigens with known important functions.