The cellular and molecular basis to the paradox of positive versus negative T cell selection

对疾病的保护需要在胸腺中产生一种叫做T淋巴细胞的白细胞。每个T细胞都有一个特定的表面受体，由随机基因转换产生，可以对抗外来病原体。由于所有生物体中使用的分子都具有很高的保守性，因此这些受体中的一些可能偶然也会对宿主中的正常细胞起反应。然而，消除所有这些自我反应细胞将意味着，用于消除感染的剩余储备将过低，从而产生免疫缺陷。该项目调查控制防御感染和需要之间的平衡机制，以防止基于免疫的自我破坏称为自身免疫。

The protection against disease requires the generation of white blood cells called T lymphocytes that are produced in the thymus. Each T cell has a specific surface receptor, generated by random gene switching, that can react against foreign pathogens. Since there is a very high conservation of molecules used in all organisms, some of these receptors could by chance also react against normal cells in the host. Eliminating all such self-reactive cells would mean, however, the repertoire remaining for eliminating infection would be too low and immunodeficiency develops. This project investigates the mechanisms controlling the balance between defence infection and the need to prevent immune-based self destruction termed autoimmunity.