Table 1

Comparison between TCRγδ and TCRαβ lymphocytes

Comparison between the γδT and αβT lymphocyte lineage
Characteristics
γδT lymphocytes
αβT lymphocytes

Resident
Circulating

Immunity affiliation
innate
innate/adaptive(?)
adaptive
Ontogeny
develop earlier
develop earlier
develop later
Development
thymus/ extra-thymus
thymus
thymus/extra-thymus
Ag-receptor configuration
CD3+Vδ1
CD3+Vδ2
CD3+TCRαβ
Phenotype
different from αβT cells
similar to αβT cells


CD4-/CD8- (most)
CD4-/CD8- (most)
CD4+ or CD8+

CD8+ or CD8αα (some)


MHC restriction
no
no
yes
Antigen recognition
self-antigens
non-peptide antigens from bacteria and plants
peptide+MHC
Frequency in blood
very few
1–10%
65–75%
Tissue distribution
mucosae, epithelia, lymphoid tissues
blood lymphoid tissues (?)
blood, lymphoid tissues, mucosae
Effector functions
cytotoxic potency
cytotoxic potency
cytotoxic potency

cytokine release
cytokine release
cytokine release (Th1/Th2)
Biological functions
immunoregulation
pathogen eradication
pathogen eradication

immunosurveillance

immune protection

pathogen eradication



wound repair (mice)



Mincheva-Nilsson Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2003 1:120   doi:10.1186/1477-7827-1-120