In article 94198.164503FORSDYKE at QUCDN.QueensU.CA,
FORSDYKE at QUCDN.QueensU.CA writes:
> Does an antigen-presenting cell take in antigens randomly? Surely, an
> antigen has first to be labelled as "foreign" by reacting with an antibody
> (either free or cell-bound)? The pre-existing repertoire of antibodies
> then determines which antigens will be taken up. The antibody repertoire is
> not random, so why should antigen-uptake be random?
I think there often is an antigen-uptake by APCs before the antigen had
contact with antibodies. This should be the case with dendritic cells such
as Langerhans cells of the epidermis or interstitial dendritic cells.
And I don't think that macrophages need antibody covered antigens to
phagocyte them although their activity may be enhanced by antibodies and/
or cytokines.
Please let me know when I'm wrong,
Michael
--
Michael Scheinost Internet: <scheini at bio.rhein-main.de>
CompuServe: <100326,2553>
