title: Life of T follicular helper cells.
abstract: Antibodies are powerful defense tools against pathogens but may cause autoimmune diseases when erroneously directed toward self-antigens. Thus, antibody producing cells are carefully selected, refined, and expanded in a highly regulated microenvironment (germinal center) in the peripheral lymphoid organs. A subset of T cells termed T follicular helper cells (Tfh) play a central role in instructing B cells to form a repertoire of antibody producing cells that provide life-long supply of high affinity, pathogen-specific antibodies. Therefore, understanding how Tfh cells arise and how they facilitate B cell selection and differentiation during germinal center reaction is critical to improve vaccines and better treat autoimmune diseases. In this review, I will summarise recent findings on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Tfh generation and function with an emphasis on T cell costimulation.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute of Montreal (IRCM), University of Montreal, and McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1R7, Canada.
authors.forename: Woong-Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: T follicular helper; antibody; costimulation; germinal center