This free course was developed to provide a succinct, contextual overview of basic T cell biology and applications for studying T cells in the laboratory.
Overview
The T Cell Stimulation and Proliferation eLearning Course comprises two learning modules and a practical application module.
Learning module part 1 covers these aspects of T cell biology in translational biomedical science:
- Basic T cell biology in the context of the wider immune system,
- T cell structure and function, T cell receptor signaling
- T cell activation and proliferation (antigen presenting cell interactions and T effector functions)
- T cell subsets (including subset-specific signature cytokines and other proteins)
Learning module part 2 covers T cell isolation and in vitro activation, assessment of T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation by these methods:
- Flow cytometric analysis
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs)
- Multiplex Luminex assays
Practical Application module gives you the opportunity to design a multiparameter flow cytometric experiment to assess T cell activity, using what you have learned in Parts 1 and 2.
Learning objectives
After completion of the T Cell Stimulation and Proliferation eLearning Course, you should be able to:
- Explain how T cell biology research contributes to advances in modern medical science
- Define the origin and nature of the T cell
- Detail the role of T cells in the adaptive immune response
- List and differentiate T-helper and T-cytotoxic subsets
- Discuss how the T cell subsets manifest effector function through cytokine secretion or direct cell-mediated cytotoxicity
- Identify structural components of the T cell receptor (TCR)
- Describe key interactions and signaling processes required for T cell activation
- Detail key signaling pathways and transcription factors downstream of the TCR
- List phenotypic differences between naïve and activated T cells
Video excerpt from the eLearning Course
Below is an example of the content within the T Cell Stimulation and Proliferation Course.
Example of technical content
Here we present an example of the content from the T Cell Stimulation and Proliferation eLearning course.
Role of T Cells
T cells are primarily involved in adaptive rather than innate immune responses. Adaptive immunity is mediated by both CD4 and CD8-positive T cells and by antibody-producing B cells. Adaptive immunity is a relatively slow response triggered by the recognition antigens. Importantly, the adaptive immune response improves with time and results in the generation of immunological memory and long-lasting protection.
The innate immune response provides for a rapid first-line of defense against infection and is promoted by a diverse array of immune cell types shown here. Innate immunity is not dependent upon prior antigen exposure and does not result in immunological memory.
Following antigen exposure (Figure 1), stimulated T cells undergo clonal expansion and differentiate into effector cells that manifest effector function through cell-mediated cytotoxicity or cytokine secretion. In order to proliferate, differentiate, and express effector function, activated T cells undergo a significant shift in phenotype compared to their naïve counterparts.
This shift involves the induction of a myriad of factors including effector cytokines, lineage-restricted transcription factors, and surface markers such as co-stimulatory molecules, immune checkpoint proteins, adhesion molecules, chemokine receptors, and other receptor proteins.