Re: What is this thing called SELF?


Joseph H wrote:
What is this thing called self?


It is the ability in the entire vertebrate lineage to define
the biochemical epitopes within each organism via the
presentation of said epitopes to developing thymus-derived
lymphocytes, causing apoptosis in the case of recognition,
so that an effective non-self recognizing repertoire of mature
T-cells can govern the adaptive immune responses in the
organism throughout it's life.

Without a biochemical basis to "self", we have no ability
to adapt our immune responses to "non-self", and thus
the vertebrates would not have been able to evolve.

Further, the class I MHC system ensures that proteins
manufactured by each nucleated cell (except for nerve cells)
are maintained within a similar window of "self" so that
changes caused by mutation ("altered-self"), which could
lead to cancer, and by viral infection where a virus is trying
to remain latent, lead to the elimination of the affected cell.

It's an "evolution" thing.

(signed) marc

..

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