Dr. Kirsty Harper, Head of Biologics, Envigo03.06.19
The primary function of the immune system is to protect against infection by identifying and removing pathogenic disease causing organisms. Additionally it is primed to detect and destroy transformed cells, thereby preventing potential tumor formation. A complex system with many contributing cell populations and biological pathways, the immune system employs multiple control mechanisms to limit the extent of responses to avoid damage to the host when removing pathogens or tumors. One such mechanism utilizes inhibitory markers specific for certain immune cells that are activated to start an immune response. These markers, known as checkpoints, control the activity of these cells, controlling and ending immune activation following successful pathogen clearance, as well as assisting in the maintenance of tolerance to self-antigens. This is an important control mechanism; defects in which can lead to hyperstimulation of the immune system and the development of autoimmune disease. Importantly, this self-regulatory system is exploited by tumors in an effort to avoid surveillance by the immune system; it is now known that tumors seek to prevent immune attack by several mechanisms, i
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