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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Assessment of Lymphocyte Migration in an Ex Vivo Transmigration System
Published on: September 20, 2019
T lymphocytes and aging
1Department of Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Some of the key features of aging effects on T lymphocytes have been illuminated in the last few years from new angles. Experimental evidence indicates a profound increase in the proportion of memory versus naive types of T cells, a decline in the response to activation and in the capacity to enter the cycle, and decline in levels of IL-2, yet an increase in various other cytokines. At least part of these changes are based on altered patterns of T lymphocyte development. Long-term cultures of T cells from young donors show that certain manifestations of aging are acquired under such in vitro conditions. The T lymphocyte compartment thus offers a unique experimental model to investigate different checkpoints in development and function of the cells, as based on vulnerability to the effects of aging.
Some of the key features of aging effects on T lymphocytes have been illuminated in the last few years from new angles. Experimental evidence indicates a profound increase in the proportion of memory versus naive types of T cells, a decline in the response to activation and in the capacity to enter the cycle, and decline in levels of IL-2, yet an increase in various other cytokines. At least part of these changes are based on altered patterns of T lymphocyte development. Long-term cultures of T cells from young donors show that certain manifestations of aging are acquired under such in vitro conditions. The T lymphocyte compartment thus offers a unique experimental model to investigate different checkpoints in development and function of the cells, as based on vulnerability to the effects of aging.
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