FIGURE 2.

Central T‐cell education in the thymus. The thymic microenvironment directs T‐cell differentiation. T cells that enter the outer cortex undergo positive selection (cTEC, cortical thymic epithelial cells). Next, T cells migrate to the inner medullary area where they undergo negative selection (mTEC, medullary thymic epithelial cells). T cells that survive all educational steps become naïve T cells and migrate to peripheral organs, such as the draining lymph nodes, mucosal barrier sites and exocrine glands