| First Author | Barton GM | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 283 |
| Issue | 5398 | Pages | 67-70 |
| PubMed ID | 9872742 | Mgi Jnum | J:77662 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2182228 | Doi | 10.1126/science.283.5398.67 |
| Citation | Barton GM, et al. (1999) Requirement for diverse, low-abundance peptides in positive selection of T cells. Science 283(5398):67-70 |
| abstractText | Whether a single major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-bound peptide can drive the positive selection of large numbers of T cells has been a controversial issue. A diverse population of self peptides was shown to be essential for the in vivo development of CD4 T cells. Mice in which all but 5 percent of MHC class II molecules were bound by a single peptide had wild-type numbers of CD4 T cells. However, when the diversity within this 5 percent was lost, CD4 T cell development was impaired. Blocking the major peptide-MHC complex in thymus organ culture had no effect on T cell development, indicating that positive selection occurred on the diverse peptides present at low levels. This requirement for peptide diversity indicates that the interaction between self peptides and T cell receptors during positive selection is highly specific. |
