Australian Scientists

A group of Australian scientists says it has made a breakthrough which it says could lead to new treatment for a range of diseases including cancer.

For the first time the scientists have been able to observe the inner workings of T-cells - white blood cells which alert the immune system to go on the defensive against germs.

The team, based at the University of New South Wales, has identified the exact molecular "switch" which spurs T-cells into action.

The team used the only microscope in Australia capable of imaging the protein molecule-by-molecule to reveal the immunity "switch".

"Previously you could see T-cells under a microscope but you couldn't see what their individual molecules were doing," Associate Professor Katharina Gaus, who led the research, said in a statement.

Dr Gaus said what the team has discovered overturns what was previously understood of T-cells.

"Previously it was thought that T-cell signalling was initiated at the cell surface in molecular clusters that formed around the activated receptor," she said.

"In fact, what happens is that small membrane-enclosed sacks called vesicles inside the cell travel to the receptor, pick up the signal and then leave again."

The findings have been published in the scientific journal, Nature Immunology


This article was in all the Australian newspapers today, as I don't understand all this in depth as some of you will do you think this may also help immune system problems?

They must be using a very advanced and powerful microscope. The T-Cells are a major part of the immune system and this sounds like a major advance in understanding how they function, so I would expect this to lead to advances in autoimmune diseases. There have been experiments showing abnormalities in the T-Cells of ITP patients, so this could be very relevant.

Sounds very interesting.

Lily

hmmmm, interesting indeed. I'm with Lily though, it makes little to no sense to me at all, but I'm excited to see what it brings! Whether it helps us ITP'ers or not!

Gretchen, I have tried to read a lot about cells, but just being your average Joe this is all a bit beyond me too but I do understand that it may help us. Maybe some of those that do understand maybe able to enlighten us. I tried to find the full article but I couldn't.