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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Generation of Induced Regulatory T Cells from Primary Human Naïve and Memory T Cells
Published on: April 16, 2012
Control of regulatory T cell lineage commitment and maintenance
Steven Z Josefowicz1, Alexander Rudensky
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA. josefows@mskcc.org
Abstract:
Foxp3-expressing regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress pathology mediated by immune responses against self and foreign antigens and commensal microorganisms. Sustained expression of the transcription factor Foxp3, a key distinguishing feature of Treg cells, is required for their differentiation and suppressor function. In addition, Foxp3 expression prevents deviation of Treg cells into effector T cell lineages and confers dependence of Treg cell survival and expansion on growth factors, foremost interleukin-2, provided by activated effector T cells. In this review we discuss Treg cell differentiation and maintenance with a particular emphasis on molecular regulation of Foxp3 expression, arguably a key to mechanistic understanding of biology of regulatory T cells.
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