One of the First Studies Using Peptide:MHC Class I Tetramers

question 11

Essay

One of the first studies using peptide:MHC class I tetramers to measure the frequencies of virus-specific CD8 T cells in an acute virus infection in mice demonstrated the remarkable finding that more than 50% of all the CD8 T cells in the mouse were virus-specific at the peak of the response (day 8 post-infection). This study used the virus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). One peptide:MHC tetramer used in this study, H-2-D^b loaded with the LCMV nucleoprotein peptide NP_396-404, bound to ~20% of the CD8 T cells in the spleen at day 8 post-infection. Why did this tetramer only stain ~20% of the CD8 T cells if more than half of the CD8 cells in the spleen were virus-specific?

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Definitions:

Marginal Revenue

Marginal Revenue is the additional income received from selling one more unit of a good or service.

Market Price

The present cost at which a service or asset is available for purchase or sale in a specific market.

Profit

The financial gain realized when the amount of revenue gained exceeds the expenses, costs, and taxes involved in sustaining the activity.

Price

The total money needed for acquiring a good, service, or asset.