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Multiple Choice

Which cells display MHC Class I molecules on their surface?

MHC Class I molecules are expressed on almost every cell that has a nucleus, allowing CD8+ T cells to survey internal proteins for viral or abnormal peptides. The peptides presented come from proteins made inside the cell, so having the cell’s own protein processing machinery enables this presentation. Red blood cells lack a nucleus and do not display MHC Class I, and platelets are also anucleate, so they generally do not present MHC Class I in the same way as nucleated cells. Epithelial cells, being nucleated, do display MHC Class I. So the broad pattern is that all nucleated cells have MHC Class I on their surface.

MHC Class I molecules are expressed on almost every cell that has a nucleus, allowing CD8+ T cells to survey internal proteins for viral or abnormal peptides. The peptides presented come from proteins made inside the cell, so having the cell’s own protein processing machinery enables this presentation. Red blood cells lack a nucleus and do not display MHC Class I, and platelets are also anucleate, so they generally do not present MHC Class I in the same way as nucleated cells. Epithelial cells, being nucleated, do display MHC Class I. So the broad pattern is that all nucleated cells have MHC Class I on their surface.