Evan G. Houston

TL;DR: Forkhead winged-helix transcription factor Foxp3 serves as the dedicated mediator of the genetic program governing CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cell (T(R)) development and function in mice and the relationship between FOXP3 expression and human T(R) development is addressed.

TL;DR: It is shown that recent thymic emigrant maturation is a progressive process and is promoted by T cell exit from the thymus, and that this maturation occurs within secondary lymphoid organs and does not require extensive lymphocyte recirculation.

TL;DR: It is suggested that in times of need, such as in neonates or lymphopenic adults, RTEs perform well to fill the gaps in the peripheral T-cell pool, but when the periphery already is full, many Rtes are not incorporated into the pool of recirculating lymphocytes.

TL;DR: Surprisingly, it is found that MHC is dispensable for the phenotypic and functional maturation of RTEs, and does streamline the TCR repertoire of T cells as they transition from the RTE to the MN T cell stage.

TL;DR: It is shown that post-thymic T cell maturation is independent of homeostatic and costimulatory pathways, requiring neither signals delivered by IL-7 nor CD80/86, and while CCR7/CCL19,21-regulated homing of recent thymic emigrants to the T cell zones within the secondary lymphoid organs is not required, an intact dendritic cell compartment modulates this process.