METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR ASSAYING REGULATORY T CELLS

摘要

Methods and compositions for determining whether a T cell is a regulatory T cell and for determining whether a population of cells includes at least one regulatory T cell or a cell with the potential to become a regulatory T cell. The invention includes methods and compositions for detecting TGF-ß on the surface of a cell. The invention also provides methods and compositions for evaluating the suppressive activity of a regulatory T cell based on the presence and/or the amount of membrane- bound TGF-ß.