Credit: Cincinnati Children's
These cell flow cytometry graphs were used by immuno-biologists to illustrate the physical and chemical characteristics of T cells that help drive autoimmunity in mice. Part of a study published by Nature Immunity, the left graph shows resting effector T cell (featured in black) before autoimmune processes are triggered. The right graph shows changes (in red) once the T cells start to produce a pro-inflammatory protein called TNF (tumor necrosis factor). This begins downstream autoimmune processes linked to several diseases in people.