Endocrine Abstracts

A key role of the thymic medulla is to negatively select CD4+ and CD8+ thymocytes expressing potentially autoreactive αβT-cell receptors (αβTCR), a process important for T-cell tolerance induction. It is known that tolerance induction in the thymus involves multiple processes, and the thymus medulla is also known to contribute through guiding the generation and selection of natural FoxP3+ regulatory T-cells (nT-Reg). Of the ...

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During the development in the thymus, a virgin repertoire of diverse TCR-αβ recognition specificities in immature T cells is selected through positive and negative selection to form a functionally competent and self-tolerant repertoire of mature T cells. Positive selection supports the survival of self-MHC-restricted thymocytes that receive low-affinity TCR engagement, whereas negative selection deletes potentially harmful self-reactive thymocytes upon high-affinity ...

The T cell immune system exists in a state of balance, poised to react to invading pathogens but at the same time constantly being restrained from attacking our own tissues. Several strategies are employed in order to minimise our own self-reactivity. First amongst these processes is the deletion of T cells in the thymus, however this process is incomplete and self-reactive T cells still populate our immune systems. A second layer of control is exerted by regulatory T cells (T...