A TCR Cell Recognizing a Novel TL-encoded Gene Product

Two separate lineages of T lymphocytes, bearing different types of CD3-associated antigen receptors have been described: TCRαβ and TCRγδ. The TCRαβ population represents the majority of thymic and peripheral lymphocytes (Hedrick et al. 1985; Kronenberg et al. 1985) and functions by recognizing antigenic peptides in the context of self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens (Marrack and Kappler 1986; Dembic et al. 1986). TCRγδ cells predominate in the epidermis (Koning et al. 1987; Stingl et al. 1987), intestinal epithelium (Goodman and Lefrancois 1988), and during early thymic ontogeny (Bluestone et al. 1987; Pardoll et al. 1987; Havran and Allison 1988) but represent only a small proportion of adult thymic and peripheral T cells (Lew et al. 1986; Cron et al. 1988). It is not known if their role in the immune system is primarily one that operates within the thymus before and after birth to influence TCRαβ development or repertoire and/or...