T Cell Development

T cells are a component of the adaptive arm of the immune system, and able to recognize antigens through the recombination of their T cell receptor (TCR) during development within the thymus. However, the potentially large repertoire TCRs has the potential to generate cells that are reactive to self and need to be removed from the developing T cell population. Thus, T cell development is a complex process that not only serves to generate functional cells, but also ensures that T cells become tolerant to self. This is accomplished within the thymus, which orchestrates development and selection of thymocytes through its specialized architecture. This chapter will focus on summarizing key features and outcomes of intra-thymic T cell development.