Nat Commun: Revealing how to mobilize immune cells against infection!

28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientists have shed light on how immune cells enter the lymph nodes, where they help fight harmful bacteria and viruses.study, led by scientists at the University of York, reveals how B cells -- key cells in the immune response -- navigate through a dangerous lysyacell,000-strong network of other cells, blood and lymphatic tubes to reach the follicles of the lymph nodes.team found that the structure inside the lymph nodes leaves chemical signals that guide B cells through these complex tissues, like miniature lighthouses that guide safe navigation.once it reaches the lymph nodes (filters viruses and bacteria before viruses and bacteria infect other parts of the body), B cells fight the invading pathogen and absorb molecules called antigens from their surfaces.they process these substances and hand them over to T cells, which then make antibodies to identify and destroy the intruders.photo source: The authors of the University of York study say the study is an important step in understanding how our immune system works and why it fails. Professor Mark Leake, of the Department of Physics at the University of York, said: "Our study shows that B cells sniff out a chemical trace that allows them to swim relatively long distances in a highly complex microenvironment to achieve their goals." relying on a single chemical transmitter as a beacon for the entire lymph node is not feasible because the signal becomes too thin and overwhelmed by the noise., incontrast, these multiple signals are like breadcrumbs, and cells can track them."This study may solve the mystery of how cells less than 1 mm can travel about a meter to where the body needs them."international research team from a wide of disciplines, including immunology, biophysics, cell biology, mathematics, and computer science, contributed to the study.team used fluorescentmarker signal ingenuity molecules to track their position in the lymph nodes of mouse and human biopsy samples.they used mathematical modeling and computer simulations, including machine learning to map the cell structure of lymphatic tissue follicles. ProfessorAdded: "The only way we can get this incredible new insight is to build a large research team with extensive expertise across a wide range of traditional scientific disciplines." Understanding the immune system on the scale of individual molecules can help us understand why some diseases of the immune system go wrong."this could help pave the way for the development of new drugs that help improve the immune system's ability to fight new threats that are harmful to viruses and bacteria that humans have never encountered before." () References: Scientists how immune cells mobilize to fight cellason Cosgrove et al, B cell cell ret cell-centreenvironment micros shape CXCL13 gradient, Nature Nature (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17135-2.