Why the immune system takes its chances with randomness

Abstract

As a research community, we have not yet acquired all of the data required to answer how both deterministic and stochastic processes interleave to build the complete immune response. However, along with Reiner and Adams, we look forward to the resolution of this conundrum. Perhaps unlike them, however, we are gamblers, suspecting that the immune system does play a game of chance, albeit with the rules having evolved so that the odds are stacked in our favour.