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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets
Published on: April 16, 2015
Antigen presentation to naive CD4 T cells in the lymph node
Andrea A Itano1, Marc K Jenkins
1Department of Microbiology and the Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, MMC 334, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Although the presentation of peptide-major histocompatibility complex class II (pMHC class II) complexes to CD4 T cells has been studied extensively in vitro, knowledge of this process in vivo is limited. Unlike the in vitro situation, antigen presentation in vivo takes place within a complex microenvironment in which the movements of antigens, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells are governed by anatomic constraints. Here we review developments in the areas of lymph node architecture, APC subsets and T cell activation that have shed light on how antigen presentation occurs in the lymph nodes.
Although the presentation of peptide-major histocompatibility complex class II (pMHC class II) complexes to CD4 T cells has been studied extensively in vitro, knowledge of this process in vivo is limited. Unlike the in vitro situation, antigen presentation in vivo takes place within a complex microenvironment in which the movements of antigens, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells are governed by anatomic constraints. Here we review developments in the areas of lymph node architecture, APC subsets and T cell activation that have shed light on how antigen presentation occurs in the lymph nodes.
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