Regulatory T Cells (Tregs)
Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) T h e pr i mary f u n c t i o n o f r e g u l atory T c e ll s , a l s o k n ow n as s u ppr e ss o r T c e ll s , is to m a i n tain i mm u n e hom e ost a s i s . T h i s in v o l v e s s u ppr e ss i o n o f s u c c e ss f u l i mm u n e re s p o n s e s a n d c o n tro l o f s e l f v e r s u s n o n - s e l f re c og n i t i on . F a i l u re o f the l atte r re s u l ts i n aut o i mm u n e d e s tr u c t i o n o f h o s t c e ll s a n d ti s s u e . L i k e oth e r T c e ll s , re g u l atory T c e ll s m a t u re i n the thym u s w h e re th e y a re char a c t e r i z e d b y the v aria b l e e x pr e ss i o n o f C D 8 , CD 4 , CD 2 5 a n d Fo x P 3 . T h e i m p o rta n c e of Fox P 3 i s u n d e r l i n e d b y ge n e t i c m u tati o n s i n th i s m o l e c u l e w h i c h r e s u l t i n a f at a l a u to i mm u n e d i s o r d e r k n ow n a s Imm u n e d