Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Career Basics

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 12 April 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5566, pp. 298 - 300
DOI: 10.1126/science.1068883
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Viewpoint

Decoding the Patterns of Self and Nonself by the Innate Immune System

Ruslan Medzhitov,* Charles A. Janeway Jr.

The innate immune system evolved several strategies of self/nonself discrimination that are based on the recognition of molecular patterns demarcating infectious nonself, as well as normal and abnormal self. These patterns are deciphered by receptors that either induce or inhibit an immune response, depending on the meaning of these signals.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ruslan.medzhitov{at}yale.edu

Read the Full Text

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)