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Re: Johns Hopkins Dr. Sidransky on individualized therapy
As far as I can see it, the translation of tumor graft analysis is a long way off. In general, the problem with these experiments is that they are usually done on SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice - aka, mice with ZERO immune system.
SCID mice are routinely used as model organisms for research into the basic biology of the immune system, cell transplatation strategies and the effects of disease on mammalian systems.
They have been extensively used as hosts for normal and malignant tissue transplants. Hence infecting mice with human breast cancer tumors.
They also use nude mice, which don't have a thymus (and therefore no T cells). T cells mature in the thymus. They do this to eliminate the potential for rejection. T cells or T lymphocytes belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity.
Promising research or same old grant getter?
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