Specific immune cells, known as T lymphocytes, have to be activated so that the body can
develop long-term protection against infections. Previously, it was believed that this process
only took place in the lymph nodes and the spleen. But now scientists from Klinikum rechts
der Isar at Technische Universität München have discovered that T cells can also be activated
in the liver – via a much faster, more direct signaling pathway. The findings, which have been
published in Cell Reports, could lead to improvements in the formulation of vaccines.