Fig 3.

CD4⁺ T-helper cell subsets and their plasticity. Depending on the nature of antigen stimulation signal received from APCs, naive CD4⁺ T cells differentiate into distinct effector T-helper and regulatory T-cell subsets, which are characterized by expression of lineage-specific transcriptional regulators, cell surface markers, and secretion of key cytokines. Due to plasticity, differentiated effector CD4⁺ T cells can convert from one cell type into another. Uncontrolled regulation of lineage specification and commitment can result in development of inflammatory and allergic diseases.