title: The T-cell antigen receptor gamma gene: rearrangement and cell lineages.
abstract: Most adult T cells have a T-cell antigen receptor composed of αß heterodimers in a complex with the CD3 antigen. Immature thymocytes, however, can express CD3-associated heterodimers of a γ chain and another poorly characterized chain ('δ'). Here James Allison and Lewis Lanier suggest that thymocytes can develop along two mutually exclusive ontological pathways, giving rise to T cells that express either αß or γδ heterodimers, but not both or any other heterodimeric combination.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Becton Dickinson Monoclonal Center, Inc., Mountain View, California 94043, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lanier