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An Investigation Into The Mechanistic Interplay Between Th1 And Th2 Cells In Allergic Disease, Christine Marie Rose

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The incidence of allergic disease has increased steadily in western countries over the past few decades. Substantial amounts of research have been geared toward elucidating the mechanisms whereby some people develop allergies and others do not. As with all development theories, the question revolves around the debate of genetics versus environment - attempting to determine the relative contribution from heredity and nurture in the development of an allergic phenotype.

Heredity has long been identified as a risk factor for allergies. Children born of atopic (allergic disease attributed to heredity) parents are at an increased risk for developing atopy themselves. Consequently, …