Development of antigen-specific helper T cell responses in vivo: antigen-specific Th cell subsets.

Abstract

Helper T cell-regulated B cell immunity constitutes a major component of the immune response to many pathogens. Spatially and temporally regulated changes in lymphocyte function and physiology underpin the primary adaptive response to antigen. We have developed flow-cytometric and single-cell RT-PCR based strategies to quantify the antigen-specific Th cell and B cell responses in non-transgenic animals directly ex vivo. Here, we will summarize our studies in the B10.BR murine response to pigeon cytochrome c (PCC) with some emphasis on the cellular complexity of the Th cell-dependent B cell response to the hapten (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP).