Development of γδ T Cells, the Special-Force Soldiers of the Immune System

While the functions of αδ T cells in host resistance to pathogen infection are understood in far more detail than those of γδ lineage T cells, γδ T cells perform critical, essential functions during immune responses that cannot be compensated by αδ T cells. Accordingly, it is essential to understand how the development of γδ T cells is controlled so that their generation and function might be manipulated in future for therapeutic benefit. This introductory chapter will cover the basic processes that underlie γδ T cell development in the thymus, as well as the current understanding of how they are controlled.