title: Two types of mouse helper T-cell clone Implications for immune regulation.
abstract: Lymphocytes mediate many important functions of the immune system, such as antibody production, cytotoxicity, and immediate and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). In 1968, two major divisions of lymphocytes were recognized: B cells (derived from bone marrow) that produce antibody, and T cells (thymus-dependent) responsible for DTH, cytotoxicity, and regulation of many B- and T-cell functions. The discovery of subset-specific cell surface antigens subsequently allowed division of T cells into two classes: mainly responsible for helper and DTH functions, T cells bearing Lyt-1 and L3T4 antigens, and T cells bearing the Lyt-2 antigen responsible for the majority of cytotoxic and suppressor functions. Evidence from studies with normal cell populations and T-cell clones has since suggested that the Lyt-1(+)L3T4(+)Lyt-2(-) helper T cell population can be divided into at least two types. In this article, Tim Mosmann and Robert Coffman review evidence for this subdivision obtained with T-cell clones grown in vitro and discuss the implications of differences in function and lymphokine synthesis between the two types of cloned helper T cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, DNAX Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Mosmann
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Coffman