Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS III: DELIVERY
OF IMMUNOSTIMULANTS AND VACCINES
Li Jian, Gopalakrishnan Venkatesan and Giorgia Pastorin
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
4.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system protects our organism from infections with layered
defenses of increasing speciicity. B and T cells represent essential
components in the immune system, since their stimulation or deiciencies are
at the basis of many patho-physiological conditions. More precisely, each B
cell presents on its surface a receptor protein (immunoglobulin) called B-cell
receptor (BCR), which is responsible for the recognition and immobilisation
of antigens circulating in the blood or lymph in their native form (Fig. 4.1).
1
.
An t igen
BCR
MHC II
B c ell
Th ce lls
Figure 4.1
Recognition and immobilisation of an antigen at the surface of B cells
through a B-cell receptor (BCR), as well as subsequent digestion and presentation of
the antigen in the form of processed peptide to T cells (helper), which induce B cells
to produce antibodies agains
t the antigen. See also Colour Insert.
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