Scientists Discover New Clues About How The Immune System Works

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 16 Sep 2009 - 8:00 PDT

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British researchers have made a new discovery about how the immune system works.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Immunology, looked at a specific subset of immune cells called Natural Killer (NK) cells.

NK cells are specialised immune cells that play a role in killing and removing infected or unhealthy cells, which include cancerous cells.

They are known to be involved in preventing cancer, but their involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS) is less clear.

Some studies suggest that they may dampen down the activity of other immune cells thought to be involved in the damage to myelin caused in MS.

Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Research Communications Officer at the MS Society, said: "This research has increased our basic understanding of how the immune system works, which is a good thing.

She added: "It is still unclear how this finding will directly apply to MS and that is the next step in determining the value of this research to people with MS."

Source
MS Society