ok,
dr fuchs wrote:
>If the immune system can discriminate self from nonself and B cells are
>capable of activating naive T cells, how do T cells distinguish peptides
>from foreign antigens (nonself) from the identical peptide that is
>present in a B cell idiotype (self)?
what?!
a b-cell idiotype is exactly that, a b-cell idiotype. this is a 3-dim
structure that is fr1,cdr's-fr4, kabat and others' canonicle structures.
this _is not_ a peptide. take a look at any of the canonicle structure
papers. besides, tcrs (a/b) recognise thru mhc-not thru free floating
whatever you propose. this is not the same as an idiotypic network.
i dont think that you mean to say that an idiotype is a linear peptide
at all. in fact i _know_ you dont mean to say that. as my mentor always
says:>>> "ralph, antibodys and tcells cant read" and that is what you seem
to be saying......and this is not what jerne was talking about.
idiotypes/idiotypic networks are there to regulate levels of antigen
receptors. this includes tcrs to tcr peptides as well as antibodies to
antibodies and tcrs. use medline to look up almost any marchalonis et al.,
or nov-dec 1994 pnas lake et al., to see some recent network theory, ect.
regards, ralph
Ralph M. Bernstein
Dept of Micro/Immuno
University of Arizona
Ph: 602 626 2585
Fx: 602 626 2100
