Immunity: Gamma Delta T cells hunt with precision (Introduction)

by dhw, Tuesday, November 13, 2018, 13:40 (2203 days ago) @ David Turell

QUOTES: […] a single protein on a single cell type can perform both functions, detecting when things aren't normal and then mounting a specific response.
" The new research found that the cells use two different checks to make sure they don't kill a healthy cell: checking if the cell looks dangerous but also whether it is nonetheless functioning normally.
"The analysis showed that Gamma Delta T cells are highly adaptable and can learn to tackle specific threats such as cancer cells. […] when the cells sit in the gut, they spare cells behaving like normal gut cells, whereas they seemingly use other scores of normality to make judgement calls about cells in the skin."
DAVID: These are obviously automatic reactions on the part of these designed cells, which must have been present from the beginning of multicellular organisms with a circulatory system, since it appears cancer development has always been present and this balance was necessary.

Yeah, yeah, the cells detect abnormalities, mount responses, use two different checks, are highly adaptable, can learn to tackle specific threats and make judgement calls – but despite all these attributes of intelligence, the reactions are “obviously automatic”. Nothing obvious about it.