Immunosurveillance and immunoregulation by γδ T cells

Whereas the vast majority of T cells express a T-cell receptor (TCR) composed of alpha beta heterodimers, a smaller population expresses gamma delta TCR. In contrast to alpha beta T cells, gamma delta T cells show less TCR diversity, are particularly enriched at epithelial surfaces and appear to respond to self-molecules that signal potential danger or cellular stress. In addition, various subsets of gamma delta T cells have shown antitumor and immunoregulatory activities. This review considers what has been discovered about the important cutaneous functions of gamma delta T cells through the study of mutant mice and offers perspectives on the roles of gamma delta T cells in human disease.