Biomaterial Database

T follicular cells: The regulators of germinal center homeostasis. 2022

Filipa Ribeiro, and Esperanza Perucha, and Luis Graca

Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian da Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.

The formation of high-affinity antibodies that protect against infection requires the formation of germinal centres (GCs), where specialized T follicular helper cells (Tfh) provide help to B cells. Those T-B interactions are critical in supporting isotype switching and affinity maturation of B cells. However, GC responses need to be tightly regulated by specialized Foxp3-expressing T follicular regulatory cells (Tfr). It has been shown that the failure of Tfr cells to regulate GC responses can lead to antibody-mediated autoimmunity. Hence, the balance between protection against infection versus tolerance towards self requires an appropriate regulation of cellular and molecular events within secondary lymphoid tissue. Here, we review the development and biology of these T follicular cell subsets, with special emphasis on the metabolic regulation of Tfh cells, thus contributing to a greater understanding of GC responses.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006377	T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer	Subpopulation of CD4+ lymphocytes that cooperate with other lymphocytes (either T or B) to initiate a variety of immune functions. For example, helper-inducer T-cells cooperate with B-cells to produce antibodies to thymus-dependent antigens and with other subpopulations of T-cells to initiate a variety of cell-mediated immune functions.	Helper Cell,Helper Cells,Helper T Cell,Helper-Inducer T-Lymphocytes,Inducer Cell,Inducer Cells,T-Cells, Helper-Inducer,T-Lymphocytes, Helper,T-Lymphocytes, Inducer,Helper T-Cells,Cell, Helper T,Cells, Helper T,Helper Inducer T Lymphocytes,Helper T Cells,Helper T-Cell,Helper T-Lymphocyte,Helper T-Lymphocytes,Helper-Inducer T-Cell,Helper-Inducer T-Cells,Helper-Inducer T-Lymphocyte,Inducer T-Lymphocyte,Inducer T-Lymphocytes,T Cell, Helper,T Cells, Helper,T Cells, Helper Inducer,T Lymphocytes, Helper,T Lymphocytes, Helper Inducer,T Lymphocytes, Inducer,T-Cell, Helper,T-Cell, Helper-Inducer,T-Cells, Helper,T-Lymphocyte, Helper,T-Lymphocyte, Helper-Inducer,T-Lymphocyte, Inducer
D006706	Homeostasis	The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable.	Autoregulation
D001402	B-Lymphocytes	Lymphoid cells concerned with humoral immunity. They are short-lived cells resembling bursa-derived lymphocytes of birds in their production of immunoglobulin upon appropriate stimulation.	B-Cells, Lymphocyte,B-Lymphocyte,Bursa-Dependent Lymphocytes,B Cells, Lymphocyte,B Lymphocyte,B Lymphocytes,B-Cell, Lymphocyte,Bursa Dependent Lymphocytes,Bursa-Dependent Lymphocyte,Lymphocyte B-Cell,Lymphocyte B-Cells,Lymphocyte, Bursa-Dependent,Lymphocytes, Bursa-Dependent
D050378	T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory	CD4-positive T cells that inhibit immunopathology or autoimmune disease in vivo. They inhibit the immune response by influencing the activity of other cell types. Regulatory T-cells include naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ cells, IL-10 secreting Tr1 cells, and Th3 cells.	Regulatory T Cell,Regulatory T-Cell,Regulatory T-Lymphocyte,Regulatory T-Lymphocytes,Suppressor T-Lymphocytes, Naturally-Occurring,T-Cells, Regulatory,Th3 Cells,Tr1 Cell,Treg Cell,Regulatory T-Cells,Suppressor T-Cells, Naturally-Occurring,Tr1 Cells,Treg Cells,Cell, Regulatory T,Cell, Th3,Cell, Tr1,Cell, Treg,Cells, Regulatory T,Cells, Th3,Cells, Tr1,Cells, Treg,Naturally-Occurring Suppressor T-Cell,Naturally-Occurring Suppressor T-Cells,Naturally-Occurring Suppressor T-Lymphocyte,Naturally-Occurring Suppressor T-Lymphocytes,Regulatory T Cells,Regulatory T Lymphocyte,Regulatory T Lymphocytes,Suppressor T Cells, Naturally Occurring,Suppressor T Lymphocytes, Naturally Occurring,Suppressor T-Cell, Naturally-Occurring,Suppressor T-Lymphocyte, Naturally-Occurring,T Cell, Regulatory,T Cells, Regulatory,T Lymphocytes, Regulatory,T-Cell, Naturally-Occurring Suppressor,T-Cells, Naturally-Occurring Suppressor,T-Lymphocyte, Regulatory,Th3 Cell
D018858	Germinal Center	The activated center of a lymphoid follicle in secondary lymphoid tissue where B-LYMPHOCYTES are stimulated by antigens and helper T cells (T-LYMPHOCYTES, HELPER-INDUCER) are stimulated to generate memory cells.	Center, Germinal,Centers, Germinal,Germinal Centers