Our immune systems have evolved to protect us from a wide range of threats, including bacteria, viruses, allergens, and parasites. While research has revealed many of the ways the human body fights off these invaders, how exactly the immune system detects threats in the first place is one of the many mysteries immunologists are investigating.
Now, a new study from the Moltke Lab at UW Medicine describes how our body generates an enigmatic cell type, known as tuft cells, that detects parasitic worms and helps to mobilize an immune response. Worm infections, which are prevalent around the world, can be especially harmful for children who lack access to adequate sanitation.
The paper, published in the journal Science Immunology, adds to current understanding about how tuft cells differentiate from stem cells, identifies key molecular players in that process, and points to new possibilities for modeling tuft cells for further study.
