An early history of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

After 60 years of intense fundamental research into T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, we have gained a detailed knowledge of the cells involved, specific recognition mechanisms and post-recognition perforin-granzyme-based and FAS-based molecular mechanisms. What could not be anticipated at the outset was how discovery of the mechanisms regulating the activation and function of cytotoxic T cells would lead to new developments in cancer immunotherapy. Given the profound recent interest in therapeutic manipulation of cytotoxic T cell responses, it is an opportune time to look back on the early history of the field. This Timeline describes how the early findings occurred and eventually led to current therapeutic applications

Mouse Chromosome 11

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46996/1/335_2004_Article_BF00648429.pd

Studies on the effect of macrophages in an in vitro graft reaction system

A study was made of the immunospecific lysis of mouse fibroblasts by rat lymphocytes sensitized in vitro against mouse cells in the presence or absence of macrophages. The cytolytic activity of rat lymph node cells decreased if they were filtered through a glass bead column prior to sensitization. This decrease could be reversed by the addition of defined amounts of peritoneal macrophages. The ratio of added macrophages to lymphoid cells was found to be critical. While small amounts of macrophages added within a defined dose range caused enhancement of activity, both of glass bead treated and of untreated populations, addition of higher quantities resulted in the inhibition of the reaction. A possible regulating role of macrophages in immune reactions is suggested