Research in knockout mice has demonstrated that Aire functions through initiating the transcription of a diverse set of self-antigens, such as insulin, in the thymus. This expression then allows maturing thymocytes to become tolerant towards peripheral organs, thereby suppressing autoimmune disease.he autoimmune regulator is mutated in the rare autoimmune syndrome Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Syndrome type 1 (APS-1), also known as Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED).
Although your white blood cells account for only about 1 percent of your blood, their impact is significant. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, are essential for good health and protection against illness and disease. Think of white blood cells as your immunity cells.
Normally, a person produces about 100 billion white blood cells a day. The number of white blood cells in a given volume of blood is expressed as cells per microliter of blood. The total white blood cell count normally ranges between 4,000 and 11,000 cells per microliter. The proportion of each of the five major types of white blood cells and the total number of cells of each type can also be determined in a given volume of blood. Too few or too many white blood cells indicates a disorder. Leukopenia, a decrease in the number of white blood cells to fewer than 4,000 cells per microliter of blood, makes a person more susceptible to infections.