Two studies in the mid-1990s cracked a mystery of innate immunity–how foreign invaders are recognized. One study found that signaling through Toll-like receptor 4 activated the immune response. Another identified the signal: lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell envelope component of Gram-negative bacteria. The discoveries brought full circle observations that began with starfish in the 1880s.
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Ann Thomson
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Modlin, R., Cheng, G. From plankton to pathogen recognition. Nat Med 10, 1173–1174 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1104-1173
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1104-1173
