T-lymphocyte clones

To date, the most successful uses of T-cell clones have been in the demonstration that a single type of cell can perform multiple functions. However, their potential usefulness is enormous, and the study of cell interactions using clonal populations has just begun. The development and study of more cloned populations will surely lead to a clearer analysis of cellular interactions in the immune system. The use of T-cell clones and hybridomas to analyze T-cell receptors and/or factors is well under way, and will continue to be an area of intense investigation. Molecular biologists will undoubtedly make more extensive use of T-cell clones in the future, both as a source of cloning material and as transfection recipients. The most exciting area for development, from a medical point of view, is the potential for use of these cell lines or their products in immunotherapy and in providing a mechanism for specifically modulating the immune response.