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The effects of cell-surface composition on natural killer cell activation: a modeling study

Williams, Katherine Spring
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306866864

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Mathematics.
Natural killer (NK) cells make up part of the innate immune system and are a good target for tumor immunotherapy as they do not require previous exposure to a pathogen in order to activate and attack it. The NK cell signaling pathway begins with the binding of surface ligands on an incoming cell to the surface receptors on the NK cell. The receptors can be divided into two categories: excitatory and inhibitory. The excitatory receptors promote activation when they bind to their ligands, while the inhibitory receptors act as a fail-safe to prevent activation when they bind to their ligands. In a model by Das (2010), the populations of ligands on incoming cells and receptors on natural killer cells are simplified to either excitatory or inhibitory. Recent research indicates the presence of a third type of surface ligand that binds to both excitatory and inhibitory receptors on NK cells. Here we present a model that incorporates nonspecific ligands into the population of possible ligands on the surface of an incoming cell to study the dynamics of NK cell activation. Tumor immunotherapy is a form of cancer therapy that uses the patient’s body to combat cancer, a treatment that may be safer for the patient and have fewer side effects. Theoretical work in the natural killer cell signaling pathway will provide framework for new research in the area of immunotherapy.
Avner Friedman (Advisor)
Jayajit Das (Committee Member)
31 p.
Mathematics
natural killer; immunotherapy; signaling pathway

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Williams, K. S. (2011). The effects of cell-surface composition on natural killer cell activation: a modeling study [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306866864

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Williams, Katherine. The effects of cell-surface composition on natural killer cell activation: a modeling study. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306866864.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Williams, Katherine. "The effects of cell-surface composition on natural killer cell activation: a modeling study." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306866864

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1306866864
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.