Unconventional T-Cell Subtype Is Competent Virus Fighter
Published:03 May2018 Source:GEN
A collaborative group of scientists led by investigators at the University of Birmingham have just identified a novel role for an enigmatic and unconventional subset of immune cells known as gamma delta T cells (Vδ2 T cells).
This immune cell subset has a distinctive T-cell receptor (TCR) on its surface. Researchers examined how this subtype of T cell responded to a virus infection called cytomegalovirus. They found that when these T cells detected signs of the virus infection, they both increased in numbers and became “licensed to kill”.