iNKT-cells and their ligands: focus on multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The cells of the immune system are broadly divided into those that belong to the innate arm of immunity and those that belong to the adaptive immune system(1) The innate immune cells include macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils which express pattern-recognition receptors such as the toll-like receptors, encoded within the germ-line and which are activated by conserved patterns or PAMPs on microorganisms. On the adaptive side of immunity, T and B cells are more diverse expressing receptors encoded by germ-line rearrangement and VDJ recombination which are specifically activated by antigens derived from pathogens.