Antigen processing and presentation in the thymus: implications for T cell repertoire selection

Publication date: June 2017
Source:Current Opinion in Immunology, Volume 46
Author(s): Kenta Kondo, Kensuke Takada, Yousuke Takahama
The processing and presentation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-associated antigens depend on the intracellular digestion of self- and nonself-proteins, the loading of digested peptides onto MHC molecules, and the traffic of peptide–MHC complexes to plasma membrane surface for display to interacting T cells. Recent studies have revealed unique machineries for antigen processing and presentation in thymic antigen-presenting cells that display self-antigens to developing thymocytes for the formation of functionally competent yet self-tolerant T cell repertoire. Here, we briefly summarize those machineries, focusing on the biology of cortical and medullary thymic epithelial cells.



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