Lecture 12 & 13 (Linking innate III & IV)) Flashcards
What does the TCR recognize?
The TCR recognizes peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs).
What is required for TCR recognition of pMHC?
T cell and APC contact is required, leading to the formation of an immunological synapse.
What are the components of the TCR complex?
The TCR complex includes:
TCR
CD3
Zeta (ζ) chain
ITAMs (Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs)
What does ITAM stand for and what is its function?
ITAM stands for Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-Based Activation Motif. It plays a role in intracellular signaling when the TCR complex is activated.
What happens after TCR recognition of pMHC?
Intracellular signaling is triggered
What is the structural nature of the TCR recognition subunit?
It is a heterodimer of chains, transmembrane proteins, and not secreted.
What are the two main types of TCRs on mature T cells?
αβ TCR (most common)
γδ TCR (less than 10%)
What does “clonotypic” mean in relation to TCRs?
It means that all cells of a given T cell clone have identical TCRs.
What are the two key regions of a TCR?
1) Variable (V) region – responsible for antigen recognition
2) Constant (C) region – provides structural support
What happens to adaptive immune receptor genes in individual lymphocytes?
They undergo DNA rearrangement to generate diverse receptors.
How many adaptive immune receptors exist compared to innate immune receptors?
1) Billions of adaptive immune receptors (BCR & TCR)
2) 100 or fewer innate immune receptors
What gene segments are involved in adaptive immune receptor rearrangement?
Variable (V), Diversity (D), Joining (J), and Constant (C) gene segments.
What gene segments are present in the α and β chains of the TCR?
1) α chain: V, J, and C segments
2) β chain: V, D, J, and C segments
Where does TCR rearrangement occur?
In the thymus.
What is somatic recombination in T cells?
It is the rearrangement of gene segments in the TCR genetic loci to produce a functional TCR.
What does the TCR recognize?
The TCR recognizes the peptide in the context of MHC but does not recognize the peptide alone.
What are the types of antigen-presenting cells (APCs)?
1) Professional APCs – Dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and activated B cells
2) Non-professional APCs – All nucleated cells in the body
What do professional APCs express?
1) MHC class I and class II molecules
2) Costimulatory molecules (when activated)
What do non-professional APCs express?
1) MHC class I molecules (under normal conditions)
2) Do NOT express MHC class II or costimulatory molecules
Why are there two classes of MHC molecules?
To cover two main types of pathogens:
1) Intracellular pathogens → MHC Class I
2) Extracellular pathogens → MHC Class II
What type of peptides do MHC Class I molecules present?
Endogenous peptides (generated within the cell), including self-proteins.
What type of peptides do MHC Class II molecules present?
Exogenous peptides (originating from outside the cell).
Which type of T cell does MHC Class I activate?
CD8+ T cells (cytotoxic T cells).
Which type of T cell does MHC Class II activate?
CD4+ T cells (helper T cells).