T cells and B cells have many similarities in how they produce their highly diverse repertoire of antigen receptors, but one important difference between them is that B cell receptors can undergo somatic hypermutation to alter their affinity for antigen. This is known as ‘affinity maturation’, and the result is that the pool of B cells specific for a particular microbe will increase their binding affinity. T cells do not engage in either somatic hypermutation or affinity maturation. Why not? What potential harm could come from allowing T cells to alter the affinity of their TCRs after they have already left the thymus and have become acti

Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems (MindTap Course List)
9th Edition
ISBN:9781285866932
Author:Lauralee Sherwood
Publisher:Lauralee Sherwood
Chapter12: Body Defenses
Section: Chapter Questions
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T cells and B cells have many similarities in how they produce their highly diverse repertoire of antigen receptors, but one important difference between them is that B cell receptors can undergo somatic hypermutation to alter their affinity for antigen. This is known as ‘affinity maturation’, and the result is that the pool of B cells specific for a particular microbe will increase their binding affinity. T cells do not engage in either somatic hypermutation or affinity maturation. Why not? What potential harm could come from allowing T cells to alter the affinity of their TCRs after they have already left the thymus and have become activated in a lymph node or spleen?
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