Mito Warriors: Scientists Discover How T Cell Assassins Reload Their Weapons to Kill and Kill Again
Published:21 Oct.2021 Source:University of Cambridge
Cambridge researchers have discovered how T cells -- an important component of our immune system -- are able keep on killing as they hunt down and kill cancer cells, repeatedly reloading their toxic weapons.
Cytotoxic T cells are specialist white blood cells that are trained by our immune system to recognise and eliminate threats -- including tumour cells and cells infected with invading viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. They are also at the heart of new immunotherapies that promise to transform cancer treatment.