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Generating CD8αα IELs from two sources of thymic precursors

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 15, pages 640–641 (2018)Cite this article

As the interface between the gut lumen and the body, the intestinal epithelial layer is continuously exposed to large numbers of microbial and dietary antigens. Consequently, intestinal homeostasis requires sophisticated immune networks that effectively clear pathogenic microbes while maintaining tolerance to harmless antigens. To achieve this balance, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) that are scattered among intestinal epithelial cells carry out numerous important functions.1

Most IELs are a heterogeneous population of T lymphocytes, including both TCRαβ+ and TCRγδ+ IELs. Unlike T cells in other tissues, most TCRαβ+ IELs in the small intestine belong to the CD8+ subset.2 Moreover, a sizeable fraction of these TCRαβ+IELs are CD4−CD8α+CD8β− cells,3 which are referred to as CD8αα IELs based on their expression of the CD8αα homodimer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Immunology and The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Lu Bai & Hui Peng

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  1. Lu Bai
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  2. Hui Peng
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Correspondence to Hui Peng.

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Bai, L., Peng, H. Generating CD8αα IELs from two sources of thymic precursors. Cell Mol Immunol 15, 640–641 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2017.93

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