Figure 2.

Itk influences the balance of conventional and innate T cell lineages. In the absence of Itk, there is a reduction of conventional CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells and an expansion of innate CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell lineages that rapidly produce cytokines upon activation. These innate cells contribute to immune homeostasis, responses to infection and the balance of memory-phenotype CD8⁺ cells in mice.