New vaccine platform may fight infections with causes from influenza to bioterrorism
...uch as dendritic cells, to capture the antigen and advertise their bounty, which they do by displaying an antigen fragment on their cell surface. Antibodies see this antigen fragment as a mug shot of sorts, and when they recognize the same fragment expressed on the on the infecting organism the antibodies give...Honeybee decision-making ability rivals any department committee
... they agree it's a good choice, they also dance to advertise the site and revisit it frequently. Scouts committed to different sites compete to attract uncommitted scouts to their sites, the researchers have discovered, but because the bees grade their recruitment signals in relation to site quality, the scout...Cancer vaccines -- Taking a jab at cancer by stimulating the immune system
...ells are antigen presenting cells that, in effect, advertise the presence of the antigen molecule to the rest of the immune system. The antigen, MUC-1, is a protein that is over-produced by pancreatic cancer cells. By presenting patients with MUC-1 on dendritic cells, the researchers expected that they could i...The price of vanity: Mating with showy males may reduce offspring's ability to fight off pathogens
In many animals, males advertise to potential mates with showy traits, many of which are linked to testosterone levels. However, a new study suggests that, in fish, choosing a flashier mate may cause future generations to be more susceptible to pathogens. In the January 2007 issue ...