Cellular immune system via cell-cell contact and secretome

The cellular immune system operates through a combination of direct cell-cell contact and the release of a complex secretome to coordinate host defense and maintain tissue homeostasis (NCBI, NBK279364). Cell-cell contact is mediated by specialized surface molecules, such as the interaction between the T-cell receptor (TCR) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which is essential for antigen recognition and immune activation (PubMed, PMC3135642). Simultaneously, the secretome—comprising cytokines, chemokines, and extracellular vesicles—acts as a paracrine and endocrine signaling network to recruit and polarize immune cells (Nature Reviews Immunology, 2017). Dysregulation of these processes is central to the pathogenesis of various conditions, including cancer, where tumors evade immune detection, and autoimmune diseases, where the system attacks self-tissues (StatPearls, NBK459471). Therapeutic intervention often involves monoclonal antibodies that block inhibitory checkpoints or recombinant cytokines that stimulate immune effector functions (NIH, 2023). Because this term encompasses an entire physiological system and multiple signaling modalities, it does not represent a single druggable molecular target but rather a broad biological framework.

Other names

Cell-mediated immunityImmune system signalingIntercellular immune communicationImmune synapse and paracrine signaling

Modulation of immune cell communication through the agonism or antagonism of cell-surface receptors and the neutralization or supplementation of secreted signaling proteins (PubMed, PMC7151665).