Purpose: The NIH Tetramer Core Facility (TCF) at Emory University was established in 1999 for the production and distribution to the research community of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramers and related reagents for the detection of T cell responses to viruses, bacteria, parasites, tumors, auto-antigens, and other model antigens. The TCF is funded by contract 75N93020D00005 via the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Reagents are provided to qualified investigators at no cost, except for shipping and handling fees and in cases where the investigator is asked to provide the TCF with peptide or other appropriate ligands. Investigators are not required to have an NIH grant, and they are not required to be based in the US.

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T cells play essential effector and regulatory roles in adaptive immune responses to viruses, bacteria, parasites, tumors, transplanted tissues, allergens and even to self antigens. Antigen-specific T cell responses can be detected by functional assays—e.g. lymphoproliferation assays, cytotoxic T cell assays using chromium release, and cytokine production assays such as the ELISpot assay and intracellular cytokine staining—or by antigen-binding methods.

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