Alloantigen recognition is a critical immune process where the immune system identifies and responds to non-self antigens from the same species, often leading to graft rejection in organ transplantation. This recognition is primarily mediated by T cells through direct or indirect pathways, involving the presentation of alloantigens by antigen-presenting cells to T cell receptors.

Alloantigen Recognition

Alloantigen recognition

immune process

non-self antigens

Graft rejection is an immune response triggered when the recipient's immune system recognizes the transplanted tissue as foreign and attacks it, leading to the failure of the graft. This process is mediated by T-cells and antibodies that target the donor antigens, necessitating immunosuppressive therapy to prevent or mitigate rejection.

graft rejection

Organ transplantation is a medical procedure where a failing or damaged organ in the human body is replaced with a healthy organ from a donor, which can be either living or deceased. This life-saving intervention requires careful matching of donor and recipient tissues, immunosuppressive therapy to prevent rejection, and addresses ethical, legal, and logistical challenges in the allocation of scarce resources.

organ transplantation

T cells are a type of lymphocyte that play a central role in cell-mediated immunity, recognizing and responding to antigens presented by other cells. They are crucial in the immune system's ability to target and eliminate infected or cancerous cells, as well as in orchestrating the overall immune response.

T cells

Direct pathways

indirect pathways

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are crucial components of the immune system that process and present antigens to T-cells, initiating an adaptive immune response. They include dendritic cells, macrophages, and B-cells, each with specialized functions in recognizing and presenting antigens to T-cells via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules.

antigen-presenting cells

T cell receptors (TCRs) are specialized proteins found on the surface of T cells that recognize and bind to specific antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, initiating an adaptive immune response. The diversity of TCRs, generated through somatic recombination, allows the immune system to recognize a vast array of pathogens, making them crucial for immune surveillance and defense against infections and cancer.

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