Development and function of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells

Yuan Min Wang1, Joanna Ghali2, Geoff Yu Zhang1

  • 1Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, The University of Sydney, Sidney, New South Wales, Australia.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been recognized as having a major role in maintaining peripheral tolerance and preventing and limiting autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Tregs derive from the thymus and also develop peripherally. In this review, we discuss recent progress in our understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in Treg development and function in protecting against autoimmunity in the periphery, including thymic selection, peripheral induction and the many mechanisms of Treg suppression. Specifically in kidney disease, Tregs have been shown to play a role in limiting injury and may potentially have a therapeutic role.

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