Cell-mediated Immunity Journals
Cell-mediated immunity is an immune response that does not involve antibodies. Rather, cell-mediated immunity is the activation of phagocytes, antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to antigen. Cell-mediated
immunity can be assessed in vivo using DTH models. To induce a DTH response, animals are first injected with one or several sensitizing doses of a T-dependent antigen, e.g., ovalbumin,
tetanus toxoid or KLH, and then with a challenge dose into another site after a rest period of 7–14 days. The response is evaluated either as an increase in footpad (rodents) or from the magnitude of a skin reaction (monkeys). Similar sensitivity of DTH models as compared to lymphocyte proliferation assays has been demonstrated. Historically, the
immune system was separated into two branches: humoral immunity, for which the protective function of immunization could be found in the humor (cell-free bodily fluid or serum) and cellular immunity, for which the protective function of immunization was associated with cells. CD4
cells or helper T
cells provide protection against different pathogens. Naive T cells, which are immature T
cells that have yet to encounter an antigen, are converted into activated effector T
cells after encountering antigen-presenting
cells (APCs).
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