Wondering whether signals (antigen signal, danger signal ...) could exert a
true selective constraint on immune cells , I tried something else. It is
based on the idea that cells had no idea of the global immune function and
were doing nothing else than satisfying their metabolic needs. It leads to
interesting redefinition of many immunological concepts and still fit with
experimental observations, in my opinion. The full text is available
on-line. Your critics are welcome ...
http://www.heraclitean.com/hbg/essays/immunometab_sonigo/
Abstract :The clonal selection of cells in the immune system is considered
as a paradigmatic model of Darwinism at the cell level. However, it requires
prior instruction of cells during embryogenesis and signals, concepts
usually attached to instructive models. A more radical Darwinian postulate
considers cells as selfish elements constrained directly by the nature and
abundance of metabolic resources present in the antigen. As in ecological
models, multicellular order in the immune system is thus driven by the
structure of alimentary or metabolic networks. I examine here whether
adaptation to metabolic resources at the cell level in the absence of
cooperation is sufficient to explain immunological facts such as clonal
selection, vaccination, self/non-self recognition, antigen presentation,
cytokine network, glucocorticoid action and apoptosis.
