Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of Vδ1+CD4+γδ T Cells, an Extrathymic αβT-cell Progenitor
10:33

Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of Vδ1+CD4+γδ T Cells, an Extrathymic αβT-cell Progenitor

Published on: December 7, 2015

9.5K

Early-life imprinting of unconventional T cells and tissue homeostasis

Michael G Constantinides1, Yasmine Belkaid1,2

  • 1Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 9, 2021
PubMed

Unconventional T cells—including invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, and defined subsets of γδ T cells—are restricted by monomorphic major histocompatibility complex class Ib (MHC-Ib) molecules and seed tissues during development. Early-life instructive signals, including those derived from the microbiota, establish homeostatic set points for unconventional T cells, a phenomenon that has lifelong consequences for the regulation of tissue immunity, inflammation, and repair. Unconventional T cells compete for niches within tissues, and recent evidence supports the idea that the fundamental role of these cells in tissue physiology may result from their action as a network with overlapping and potentially synergistic functions, rather than as individual subsets.

More Related Videos

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets07:12

Mouse Naïve CD4+ T Cell Isolation and In vitro Differentiation into T Cell Subsets

Published on: April 16, 2015

52.8K
Author Spotlight: Elucidating the Pathways of TFH Cell Differentiation in Acute LCMV Challenges05:03

Author Spotlight: Elucidating the Pathways of TFH Cell Differentiation in Acute LCMV Challenges

Published on: April 26, 2024

838

Related Concept Videos

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response01:23

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...
5.5K
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

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...
8.3K
Imprinting01:22

Imprinting

Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.
10.2K
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
499
Cell-mediated Immune Responses01:40

Cell-mediated Immune Responses

Overview
75.3K
Special Features of Adaptive Immunity01:20

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,...
1.3K