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What does localization of B-Cell mean??
"Localization of B and T cell in allergens may not coincide". What does this statement mean?

(I have not studied biology since last 8 years and now I am going through it because I need it for my research. So if someone can describe it in simple language it would be very helpful)

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  • $\begingroup$ Can you tell us, where this statement originates? $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    Sep 2, 2014 at 8:54
  • $\begingroup$ What is the source of the statement? Is this really an exact quotation? $\endgroup$
    – Alan Boyd
    Sep 2, 2014 at 8:55
  • $\begingroup$ springer.com/biomed/immunology/book/978-1-4939-1114-1 <br> this book $\endgroup$
    – girl101
    Sep 2, 2014 at 9:42

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I think the reason you are having trouble discerning the statement is because it doesn't really make much sense, nor is it in my opinion sufficiently explained in the paper. The sentences preceding the it give a little explanation as to what the author may be getting at:

So far, 1500 allergenic structures have been identified. Online allergen databases and allergy prediction tools are being used to find cross-reactivity between known allergens. Localization of B and T cells in the allergen may not coincide.

During an exaggerated immune response (allergy) the lymphocytes (B and T) will localize (travel or accumulate at) to the site of the antigen (allergen).

If I could guess I would say the author is stating that data has shown that no immune response is taking place (data generated by assessing the accumulation of lymphocytes near the allergen), despite the fact that these online allergen predictors say that an immune response should be generated.

The statement in my opinion moves to discredit these online allergen predictors.

I did look over some of the rest of the manuscript, and found two other ambiguities within.

The author does cite another paper in your sentence that may shed more light on this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686541/?report=reader

An overview of it provided little clarity however.

I fear that only a crystal ball or this question addressed to the senior author may answer your question with complete certainty:

Dr. Rajat Kumar De Professor Machine Intelligence Unit Indian Statistical Institute 203 Barrackpore Trunk Road, Kolkata 700108, India.

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"Localization of B and T cell in allergens may not coincide". That sentence is written poorly, it confuses more than inform.

What the author means is: The epitopes that B cells and T cells can recognize are not the same in one particular allergen. We have to remember that almost all allergens are proteins and proteins are made up of aminoacids, and that's what make up epitopes. For one same particular structure or say, an allergen, the T cell can only recognize LINEAR epitopes whereas the B cell can recognize LINEAR or CONFORMATIONAL epitopes (that is, they recognize a 3d-like structure and not just a sequence of aminoacids).

What I always tell my students so they can grasp the concept is that the T cells are able to "see" a photograph of a chair to recognize it. While a B cell can do that and even more it can actually "see" a chair for what it is.

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  • $\begingroup$ Welcome. Please add resources to your material so that others can background read on your material. $\endgroup$
    – AliceD
    May 15, 2020 at 14:16

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