title: Development of alphabeta T cells in the human thymus.
abstract: The thymus is the main producer of alphabeta T cells and is, therefore, crucial for a normal immune system. The intrathymic developmental pathway of human alphabeta T cells has now been delineated. The production of new T cells by the thymus decreases with age, and the thymus was thought to be redundant in adults once the peripheral T-cell pool has been formed early in life. However, recent work has shown that the thymus can function even at an advanced age. Research into the production of T cells in clinical settings that are associated with loss of T cells in the periphery has sparked renewed interest in the function of the human thymus.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D038041:Lymphopoiesis; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta