Mucosal T lymphocytes - peacekeepers and warriors

Normal immune homeostasis of the intestine requires peaceful coexistence with commensal flora, combined with host defense against pathogens. Perhaps as a result of this unique dilemma, distinct populations of regulatory and effector T lymphocytes are found in the lamina propria and epithelium of the intestine. Here we summarize the properties and functions of these unusual T cells, and describe the molecular and cellular interactions that lead to their development and function. Some mucosal T cells, sometimes called type a, are conventional activated/memory T cells that have received instructions to migrate to the intestine during priming by dendritic cells in the mesenteric lymph node and elsewhere. Others, however, particularly subsets residing permanently in the epithelium, are intestine-specific T cell subpopulations generated by an atypical differentiation pathway.