title: Post-thymic maturation: young T cells assert their individuality.
abstract: T cell maturation was once thought to occur entirely within the thymus. Now, evidence is mounting that the youngest peripheral T cells in both mice and humans comprise a distinct population from their more mature, yet still naive, counterparts. These cells, termed recent thymic emigrants (RTEs), undergo a process of post-thymic maturation that can be monitored at the levels of cell phenotype and immune function. Understanding this final maturation step in the process of generating useful and safe T cells is of clinical relevance, given that RTEs are over-represented in neonates and in adults recovering from lymphopenia. Post-thymic maturation may function to ensure T cell fitness and self tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. pfink@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Deborah W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*