Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Subscribe

Sci. Signal., 20 April 2010
Vol. 3, Issue 118, p. jc3
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.3118jc3]

JOURNAL CLUB

T Cells with Commitment Issues

Raphael Schneider*

Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, CRCHUM-Notre-Dame Hospital, Pavilion JA DeSeve (room Y-3609), 1560 Sherbrooke E, Montreal, QC, Canada H2L 4M1.

Abstract: T cells are a central element of cell-mediated immunity. Host detection of infectious agents leads to antigen presentation and release of cytokines that cause naïve T cells to develop into effector T cells or regulatory T cells (Treg cells). Effector T cells act to control the invading agents and mediate tissue inflammation. Treg cells maintain immune homeostasis by suppressing effector T cell responses to prevent collateral damage. Until recently, T cell differentiation into distinct subsets with different functions had been considered irreversible. However, new evidence suggests that some differentiated T cell subsets are more phenotypically flexible than others. Studying the plasticity of T cells and the underlying signaling mechanisms may lead to important clues for understanding immunity and autoimmunity.

* E-mail, raphael.schneider{at}umontreal.ca

Citation: R. Schneider, T Cells with Commitment Issues. Sci. Signal. 3, jc3 (2010).

Read the Full Text

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Journal Club: Intrathecal effects of daclizumab treatment of multiple sclerosis.
R. Schneider and N. Arbour (2012)
Neurology 78, e131-e133
   Full Text »    PDF »

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882