The presentation of neuroendocrine self-peptides in the thymus: an essential event for individual life and vertebrate survival.

Confirming Burnet's early hypothesis, elimination of self-reactive T cells in the thymus was demonstrated in the late 1980s, and an important question immediately arose about the nature of the self-peptides expressed in the thymus. Many genes encoding neuroendocrine-related and tissue-restricted antigens (TRAs) are transcribed in thymic epithelial cells (TECs). They are then processed for presentation by proteins of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expressed by TECs and thymic dendritic cells.

Rapid identification of environmental bacterial strains by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

In recent years, various mass spectrometry procedures have been developed for bacterial identification. The accuracy and speed with which data can be obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) could make this a powerful tool for environmental monitoring. However, minor variations in the sample preparation can influence the mass spectra significantly.