T helper cell differentiation more than just cytokines

CD4(+) T helper (T(H)) cells play a critical role in orchestrating a pleiotropy of immune activities against a large variety of pathogens. It is generally thought that this is achieved through the acquisition of highly specialized functions after activation followed by the differentiation into various functional subsets. The differentiation process of naive precursor T(H) cells into defined effector subsets is controlled by cells of the innate immune system and their complex array of effector molecules such as secreted cytokines and membrane bound costimulatory molecules. These provide a unique quantitative or qualitative signal initiating T(H) development, which is subsequently reinforced via T cell-mediated feedback signals and selective survival and proliferative cues, ultimately resulting in the predominance of a particular T cell subset. In recent years, the number of defined T(H)cell subsets has expanded and the once rigid division of labor among them has been blurred with reports of plasticity among the subsets. In this chapter, we summarize and speculate on the current knowledge of the differentiation requirements of T(H) cell lineages, with particular focus on the T(H)17 subset.