Abstract
CERTAIN antigens are known to be immunogenic in the absence of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes1–5. One extreme explanation of this is that all antigens are fundamentally thymus-independent, whereas the contrary view is to deny the experimental evidence for the existence of this type of antigen6. Another explanation for thymus-independency is based on the structure of these molecules, which are characterized by repeating antigenic determinants. This special structure would make it possible for the molecules to establish multiple interactions with the immunoglobulin receptors of the B cells and thus cause their activation7.
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COUTINHO, A., MÖLLER, G. B Cell Mitogenic Properties of Thymus-independent Antigens. Nature New Biology 245, 12–14 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio245012a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio245012a0
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