Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Special Features of Adaptive Immunity

Special Features of Adaptive Immunity

The adaptive immune system, a crucial component of the overall immune response, offers a highly specialized defense against pathogens. It involves specific cell types and features, enabling it to combat infections effectively and efficiently.
The primary cell types involved in adaptive immunity are T cells and B cells. Each type has a unique role in defending the body against pathogens. T cells are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. They identify and eliminate infected cells directly,...

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...

T Cell Types and Functions

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mechanosensing by T cells promotes a tissue-resident memory transcriptional program.

Nature immunology·2026

Same author

PD-1 regulates latent effector differentiation of thymic cytotoxic CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

TYK2 Inhibition with Deucravacitinib Improves Clinical Outcomes and Resolves Interferon-Driven Inflammation in Lichen Planopilaris.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Same author

KLF2 overrides the resident memory CD8 T cell differentiation program, in opposition to KLF3.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Diverse Microbial Exposure Enhances CD8<sup>+</sup> T Cell Effector Memory Output and Function.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

IL-4-STAT6 signaling delays protective CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell bystander activation by antagonizing IL-18 sensing.

Nature immunology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 7, 2025

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of T, B and Myeloid Cells Suppressive Activity and Humoral Responses from Transplant Recipients

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of T, B and Myeloid Cells Suppressive Activity and Humoral Responses from Transplant Recipients

Published on: August 12, 2017

CD8⁺ T cell self-tolerance permits responsiveness but limits tissue damage.

Emily N Truckenbrod¹, Kristina S Burrack¹, Todd P Knutson²

¹Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, United States.

|April 30, 2021

Summary

Self-reactive CD8+ T cells specific for tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Trp2) exhibit functional tolerance. These cells show reduced expansion and impaired differentiation, leading to less efficient autoimmune responses like vitiligo.

Keywords:

T cell autoimmune response/disease immunology inflammation mouse tolerance

More Related Videos

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Published on: May 6, 2019

Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry

Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry

Published on: October 8, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 7, 2025

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of T, B and Myeloid Cells Suppressive Activity and Humoral Responses from Transplant Recipients

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of T, B and Myeloid Cells Suppressive Activity and Humoral Responses from Transplant Recipients

Published on: August 12, 2017

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Published on: May 6, 2019

Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry

Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry

Published on: October 8, 2012

Area of Science:

Immunology
T cell biology
Autoimmunity

Background:

Self-specific CD8+ T cells can evade deletion, but their behavior in vivo remains poorly understood.
Understanding these cells is crucial for managing autoimmune diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize the properties and capabilities of self-specific CD8+ T cells in a physiological context.
To investigate the mechanisms underlying functional self-tolerance in CD8+ T cells.

Main Methods:

Characterization of polyclonal CD8+ T cells specific for tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Trp2) in wild-type and Dct-deficient mice.
Analysis of phenotypic and gene expression profiles, cell expansion, differentiation, and immunopathology mediation.

Main Results:

Pre-immune Trp2/K(b)-specific CD8+ T cells showed similar phenotypes and frequencies in wild-type and Dct-deficient mice.
Despite comparable initial responses, wild-type cells exhibited blunted expansion and less CD25+ differentiation.
Adoptively transferred wild-type cells mediated vitiligo less efficiently, indicating functional self-tolerance.

Conclusions:

CD8+ T cell self-specificity is not reliably predicted by precursor frequency, phenotype, or initial responsiveness.
Deficient activation-induced CD25 expression and specific gene expression patterns may identify functionally tolerant self-reactive CD8+ T cells.