Cytotoxic T lymphocyte(blue) attacks target cell (green) and release lysosomal proteins (red)

T Cell Biology and Skin Inflammation

T lymphocytes (T cells) play a central role in the adaptive immune system and are vital for the maintenance of a healthy life. T cell progenitors originate in the bone marrow and subsequently develop in the thymus. Mature, naive T cells leave the thymus after very strict selection processes and start their recirculation between the blood and lymph. Upon encountering of specific antigens, the naïve T cells are activated via highly regulated processes. T cell activation results in the differentiate of T cells into effector and memory T cells. Recently, it has become clear that twice as many T cells are found in the skin as in the circulation. The majority of skin-resident T cells are memory T cells. Skin-resident T cells are important in our defence against pathogens and most probably play central roles in inflammatory skin diseases as allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.

Our vision is to provide optimal prevention and treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Our goal is to uncover novel pathways and molecules involved in T cell activation and differentiation and thereby new targets to modify T cell responses. Our mission is to unravel how disturbances in T cell activation and differentiation lead to inflammatory skin diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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