Activation-induced cell death (apoptosis) of mature peripheral T lymphocytes

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is triggered in immature thymocytes and T-cell hybridomas by signalling via the CD3-T-cell receptor pathway. In this paper, Dieter Kabelitz and colleagues catalogue the recently accumulating evidence that apaptosis can also be initiated in mature peripheral T cells this may constitute an important aspect of cellular immune regulation.