A pool of T cells responding to a given antigen differentiates into a mixture of qualitatively distinct kinds of effector T cells. In Cell, Jenkins and colleagues track the progeny of individual T cells to determine the signals that give rise to three different effector fates: TH1, TFH or germinal center TFH (GC-TFH). A pool of responding T cells produces a characteristic proportion of TH1 cells, TFH cells and GC-TFH cells that depends on the type of experimental bacterial challenge and dose of the challenging antigen. Single naive T cells give rise to a distinct pattern of effector cells; however, averaging the response of all the potential responder cells results in a ratio of effector cells characteristic of the particular antigenic challenge. The fate of a given cell depends at least in part on the strength of signaling via the T cell antigen receptor, which thus has a key instructive role in determining the fate of effector cells.
Cell 153, 785–796 (2013)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fehervari, Z. Peripheral fate. Nat Immunol 14, 698 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2651
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2651