title: The third function of the thymus.
abstract: Nonresponsiveness of mammalian T cells to self-antigens is not totally accounted for in terms of clonal deletion, T-cell anergy and T-cell ignorance: studies have shown that the T-cell repertoire of healthy individuals contains cells with the potential to cause autoimmune disease. This article describes a T-cell-mediated mechanism that prevents the realization of this potential and indicates how its failure can lead to the development of autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, UK NW7 1AA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seddon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2