ABSTRACT
See also CYTOTOXIC T CELLS, HELPER T CELLS (T4 CELLS), LYMPHOCYTE, SUPPRESSOR T CELLS, T CELL RECEPTORS, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF)
T Cell Receptors Antibody-like transmembrane (i.e., across the cell’s surface membrane) proteins located on the surface of T cells. These trigger the (cellular) immune response that is mounted by T cells when these receptors bind to antigens (foreign pieces of antigenic protein) that have been “presented” to these receptors by an MHC protein which itself is located on the surface of phagocytic (i.e., scavenging, pathogen-ingesting) B lymphocyte. Antibodies in the blood recognize native antigen macromolecules (i.e., large molecules), whereas T cell receptors recognize fragments derived from those antigen macromolecules (upon presentation at the surface of B lymphocytes following ingestion and digestion by the B lymphocytes).
