Courses: Senior Research Tutorial on Life and Death Decisions of Developing Lymphocytes (BIOLH408I01)
The fate of developing T cell depends on the interactions it experiences through its T cell receptor as it traffics through the thymus. Interestingly, identical interactions can have markedly different consequences depending on the T cell developmental stage. Immature T cells (thymocytes) respond to strong T cell receptor signals by dying, while their direct descendents, mature T cells, respond to the very same stimulation by proliferating. We are working to determine the molecular reasons behind this difference in responsiveness. By identifying and comparing the intracellular signals experienced by immature and mature T cells we are working to solve this developmental mystery. Laboratory work is supplemented by readings from current literature.
Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor.
Fulfills: NA II