Immunological Events Underlying the Induction of T Cell Non-Responsiveness

T lymphocytes recognise antigen in the form of short peptides complexed with the class I and II products of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). Cellular activation follows T cell recognition of peptide-MHC complexes at immunogenic cell surface concentrations together with the participation of the appropriate costimulatory signals. Interaction of TCRs and peptide-MHC complexes under inappropriate conditions may result in antigen-specific …