Physics

Antigen

Cytotoxic T cell

In vitro

Immunology

Acoustics

Reinterpretation

Population

Effector

Genetics

Medicine

Biology

Immune system

Cell biology

Environmental health

Annual Review of Immunology

Neonatal CD4 + and CD8 + T cells have historically been characterized as immature or defective. However, recent studies prompt a reinterpretation of the functions of neonatal T cells. Rather than a population of cells always falling short of expectations set by their adult counterparts, neonatal T cells are gaining recognition as a distinct population of lymphocytes well suited for the rapidly changing environment in early life. In this review, I will highlight new evidence indicating that neonatal T cells are not inert or less potent versions of adult T cells but instead are a broadly reactive layer of T cells poised to quickly develop into regulatory or effector cells, depending on the needs of the host. In this way, neonatal T cells are well adapted to provide fast-acting immune protection against foreign pathogens, while also sustaining tolerance to self-antigens.

Neonatal T Cells: A Reinterpretation