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Transplantation tolerance—where do we stand?

Abstract

Our understanding of tolerance mechanisms has progressed to the point that tolerance-induction protocols are being tested in humans for organ transplantation. However, a range of scientific, ethical, logistic and commercial issues have arisen, and must be resolved before tolerance induction for human allograft patients can become a reality.

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Figure 1: Antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs) internalize and present processed antigen, through MHC molecules, to CD4+ T cells.
Figure 2: CD4+ T cells can provide help to CD8+ T cells without interacting with them directly.

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Waldmann, H. Transplantation tolerance—where do we stand?. Nat Med 5, 1245–1248 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15197

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