Title: clonal indifference
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - clonal indifference
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.13015
Status: current

Definition
Failure of B or T cells expressing anti-self-receptors to interact with antigen (e.g., by low valency, low concentration, or sequestration of antigens; low receptor avidity; or lack of co-stimulatory molecules).

Note
This is the primary mechanism involved in the induction and maintenance of self-tolerance.

Related Terms
- B: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/12937
- T cells: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13724
- self-tolerance: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13669

Source
- PAC, 2012, 84, 1113. 'IUPAC glossary of terms used in immunotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)' on page 1145 (https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REC-11-06-03)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13015/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13015/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13015/xml

Citation: Citation: 'clonal indifference' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.13015
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Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-06-30T07:01:40+00:00