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Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets
Published on: April 16, 2015
IL-2 family of cytokines in T regulatory cell development and homeostasis
Thomas R Malek1, Aixin Yu, Linjian Zhu
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami, RMSB 3119, Miami, FL, USA. tmalek@med.miami.edu
Introduction:
Interleukin 2 (IL-2) induces an essential signal for T regulatory (Treg) cells. Without a functional IL-2R, only immature CD4(+) Foxp3(low) CD25(neg) T cells develop, and these cells fail to suppress autoreactive T cells in the periphery.
Discussion:
IL-2 functions during Treg cell development by upregulating Foxp3 and CD25 and by increasing the number of thymic Treg cells. Upon exiting the thymus during neonatal life, IL-2 is responsible for rapid amplification of the number of Treg cells in peripheral lymph nodes to insure suppression of autoreactive T cells that escape negative selection, thereby maintaining tolerance. The homeostasis of Treg cells in mature immunocompetent mice also depends on IL-2. However, there is an alternative mechanism for Treg cells homeostasis that may represent a minor IL-2-independent pathway or the consequence of weak and very transient IL-2R signaling.
Conclusion:
Thus, IL-2 provides importance signals for Treg cell development and for their homeostasis in peripheral immune tissues.
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