Immunological memory and protective immunity: understanding their relation

R Ahmed, D Gray - Science, 1996 - science.org
R Ahmed, D Gray
Science, 1996science.org
The immune system can remember, sometimes for a lifetime, the identity of a pathogen.
Understanding how this is accomplished has fascinated immunologists and microbiologists
for many years, but there is still considerable debate regarding the mechanisms by which
long-term immunity is maintained. Some of the controversy stems from a failure to
distinguish between effector and memory cells and to define their roles in conferring
protection against disease. Here the current understanding of the cellular basis of immune …
The immune system can remember, sometimes for a lifetime, the identity of a pathogen. Understanding how this is accomplished has fascinated immunologists and microbiologists for many years, but there is still considerable debate regarding the mechanisms by which long-term immunity is maintained. Some of the controversy stems from a failure to distinguish between effector and memory cells and to define their roles in conferring protection against disease. Here the current understanding of the cellular basis of immune memory is reviewed and the relative contributions made to protective immunity by memory and effector T and B cells are examined.
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