TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of alphabeta T cells in the human thymus
AU - Spits, Hergen
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - 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
AB - 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
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1038/nri913
DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/nri913
M3 - Review article
C2 - 12360214
SN - 1474-1733
VL - 2
SP - 760
EP - 772
JO - Nature Reviews. Immunology
JF - Nature Reviews. Immunology
IS - 10
ER -