Much confusion is created when the term "naive" T cells
is applied to peripheral T cells which have not yet interacted
with MHC-exogenous peptide complexes (e.g. see Goldrath & Bevan
Nature 18th Nov. 1999).
These cells are NOT "naive". They have been given a highly
sophisticated "education" in the thymus where they have
"learned" to discriminate based on differential affinity.
For more on this see the URL below.
Sincerely, Donald Forsdyke
Discussion Leader. Bionet.immunology
http://post.queensu.ca/~forsdyke/lederber.htm#End Note on the
Differential Avidity/Affinity Model
or
http://crystal.biochem.queensu.ca/forsdyke/lederber.htm#End note on the
Differential Avidity/Affinity Model
