Advances in methodologies for evaluating cell-mediated immune responses

Abstract:

Cell-mediated immune response is an important part of machinery in maintaining the body’s homeostasis. After the innate immune system selectively activates the adaptive immune system, the cell-mediated immunity exerts its killing and clearance functions. Therefore, evaluating the level of cell-mediated immune response is crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, monitoring the immune status after organ transplantation, diagnosing and preventing viral diseases, and evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines and other areas. From the initial overall assessment of the immune effects in vivo to the precise detection of the number and function of multiple immune cells, the evaluation methods of cell-mediated immune response have greatly advanced. However, cell-mediated immune response involves multiple levels in the body, and it’s difficult to choose the numerous detection methods available. The article systematically compares the evaluation methods of cell-mediated immune response at four different levels: the organism, the tissue and organ, the immune cells and the immune molecules, with the aim to facilitate the applications of related technologies.