Back to the Thymus: Peripheral T Cells Come Home

Overview

Journal Immunol Cell Biol

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
Cell Biology

Date 2008 Nov 26

PMID 19030016

Citations 36

Authors

J Scott Hale

Pamela J Fink

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The thymus has long been known as the generative organ for the T-cell arm of the immune system. To perform this role, the thymus was thought to require protection from antigenic and cellular insult from the 'outside world', with the notable exception of the continual influx of progenitor cells required to initiate the complicated process of T-cell differentiation. Overwhelming evidence that mature T cells can recirculate and persist in the thymus has required us to revamp this earlier view of the thymus as detached from outside influence. In this review, we consider the evidence for T-cell recirculation into the thymus, discuss the likely means and location of mature T-cell entry, and speculate on the potential consequences of such close apposition between differentiating thymocytes and mature recirculating lymphocytes.

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