Explain two ways in which the expression and processing of self antigens in thymic epithelium differs from the expression and processing of self antigens outside the thymus

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(i) As well as expressing their own thymus-specific self antigens, medullary epithelial cells in the thymus produce a transcription factor called autoimmune regulator (AIRE), which causes several hundred genes normally expressed in other tissues to be expressed in these cells. The proteins can then be processed to form self peptides that will be presented by MHC class I molecules. (ii) The thymic epithelium uses different proteases for self-protein degradation; cathepsin L is used for peptide production instead of cathepsin S, which is used by other cell types.

Health & Biomechanics

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