Homeostatic control of regulatory T cell diversity

Abstract

Regulatory T (T Reg) cells constitute an essential counterbalance to adaptive immune responses. Failure to maintain appropriate T Reg cell numbers or function leads to autoimmune, malignant and immunodeficient conditions. Dynamic homeostatic processes preserve the number of forkhead box P3-expressing (FOXP3 +) T Reg cells within a healthy range, with high rates of cell division being offset by apoptosis under steady-state conditions. Recent studies have shown that T Reg cells become specialized for different environmental contexts, tailoring their functions and homeostatic properties to a wide range of tissues and immune conditions. In this Review, we describe new insights into the molecular..