Canberra medical researchers have discovered a new type of cell which boosts the human body’s ability to fight off infections and life-threatening diseases. They have found a type of cell which recognises lipid antigens, or foreign molecules, which sit on infectious bacteria which invade the body.
Once recognising the lipids, the cell, called Natural Killer T follicular helper (NKTfh), generates antibody responses in B cells – which are the body’s natural defence against invasion by viruses and bacteria.
Prof Carola Vinuesa, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU
Nature Immunology; Immunity