T Cell Development and Diversity Flashcards
What is a T cell?
• derived from the common lymphoid precursor and bears a TCR
in context of MHC, what do T cells recognize?
• T cells ONLY recognize peptide antigens
T cells serve several important roles in acquired immune responses. What are they?
- • kill cells infected with viral or other intracellular pathogen
- • supply helper signals which activate B cells and macrophages
T/F T cells do not secrete immunoglobulin molecules
true
There are 2 lineages of T cells. Describe them
- most T cells bear a TCR composed of an α and a β chain; these are referred to as αβ T cells
- some T cells bear a TCR composed of a γ and a δ chain; these are referred to as γδ T cells
Describe γδ T cells wrt recognition, location, maturity, role)
- primitive cells that do not seem to recognize peptide/MHC complexes (not MHC-restricted)
- found primarily in mucosal epithelium
- mature extrathymically
- thought to have significant role in recognition of lipid antigens
What is the signal transduction unit for the T cell receptor? where is it found?
• CD3:
What is the role of ITAMS: immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs?
initiate signaling cascade upon antigen-recognition thru the TCR
What are Important Surface Markers of T cells?
- CD4 and CD8: co-receptors for the T cell receptor
- CD28
- Fas ligand
- adhesion molecules
describe the importance of CD4 and CD8 as co-receptors for the TCR
all mature αβ T cells express either CD4 or CD8
- • CD4 binds (weakly) to MHC class II molecules
- • CD8 binds (weakly) to MHC class I molecules
What molecule binds to B7 molecules on antigen presenting cells; (co-stimulation)?
CD28
Describe the surface T cell marker effect wrt to Fas ligand
it can bind to Fas expressed on the surface of target cells, initiating Fas-mediated apoptosis
What T cell surface marker can initiate interactions between T cells and APC or target cells?
adhesion molecules
Where are thymocytes produced? Where do they mature?
Thymocytes are Produced in BM,
Mature in Thymus
Thymocytes Interact with what type cell?
Thymic Epithelial Cells
What is the role of Tingible-body Macrophages?
Remove Apoptotic Cells
TCR Variable Region Gene Rearrangements. Which are the first to rearrange?
beta, gamma, and delta chain genes are the first to rearrange
if gamma and delta chain rearrangement is successful before beta chain rearrangement, what T cell forms?
T cell will be a γδ T cell
if beta chain rearrangement of the TCR variable region is 1st to be successful, what is the result?
it associates with an invariant chain (pTα; a surrogate alpha chain) and the CD3 complex to form the pre-T cell receptor complex
once the pre-TCR is expressed, what happens wrt gene rearrangement?
beta, gamma, and delta gene rearrangements cease
Describe somatic recombination of TCR genes
- pre T cell begins to proliferate
- alpha chain gene rearrangement begins
- if alpha chain gene rearrangement is successful, the expressed alpha chain polypeptide associates with nascent beta chain polypeptides and the final T cell receptor is expressed
Thymocytes that bind best to MHC class I will have what result?
Up-regulate CD8 expression
and
Down-regulate CD4 expression
Thymocytes that bind best to MHC class II will have what result?
Up-regulate CD4 expression
and
Down-regulate CD8 expression
Mature T cells Migrate where?
2˚ Lymphoid Tissues
Why is Somatic Recombination of TCR Ig Genes Such an Important Mechanism?
the TCR Ig genes code for up to 10^18 different TCR molecules
the human genome contains approximately 40,000 genes
Decreases the size of the genome required for the proper genes to include an adequate repertoire
What are the characteristic cell-surface markers and its location of a stem cell?
marker => CD34
location => bone marrow
What are the characteristic cell-surface markers and its location of a lymphoid progenitor cell?
markers => CD10, CD19, CD20
location => thymus
What are the characteristic cell-surface markers and its location of a thymic stromal cell or epithelial cell?
markers => cytokeratins
location => thymus
What are the characteristic cell-surface markers and its location of a thymocyte?
markers => CD1
location => thymus
What are the characteristic cell-surface markers and its location of a T cell?
markers => CD3/TCR and CD4 or CD8
location => periphery
What is a cell that differentiates into cells that either kill target cells that bear their cognate peptide:MHC class I complex, or supply help to other immune cells via production of cytokines?
T cell
How do T cells recognize specific antigen? Where must the antigen be bound to?
bound to MHC complex on APCs
recognize antigen via TCR
What is the T cell receptor?
disulfide-linked heterodimer that consists of either an alpha and a Beta chain
or a gamma and a delta chain
Both chains of the TCR have what regions?
constant region and a variable (hypervariable) region, resembling the light chains of Ab molecules
amino-terminal segment of each chain contains what?
the variable domain,
and the constant domain is near
Other than the constant domain, what else can be found at the C-terminus of the TCR? What is the purpose for this region?
hinge-like region followed by a transmembrane region and a short cytoplasmic tail
region of the TCR anchors it into the membrane of T cells and allows some flexibility of the molecule (hinge region)
the TCR resembles (structurally and functionally) to what type of membrane-bound antibody?
Fab fragment
T/F variable regions of the TCR complex are constructed by a mechanism very similar to that of immunoglobulin variable region genes.
true
Describe the relationship of the a cassette system and the V region of the TCR complex
A cassette system (containing many gene segments) is used to randomly generate a huge repertoire of TCR molecules that differ primarily in their V regions (somatic recombination).
there are two lineages of T cells that develop in the thymus that are defined by what?
the T cell receptor (TCR) that they express
- gamma/delta TCR
- alpha/beta TCR
T/F gamma/delta T cells may or may not express CD4 or CD8 markers
true
T/F gamma/delta T cells are not MHC-restricted in their recognition of antigen
true
Where are most gamma/delta T cells found?
mucosal epithelium
T/F gamma/delta T cells have a large TCR repertoire
false, it is limited bc they primarily recognize non-protein antigenic determinants
What type of selction do gamma/delta T cells undergo? where do they mature?
T cells do not undergo conventional thymic selection and development; they mature extrathymically