Spontaneous T Cell Proliferation: A Physiologic Process to Create and Maintain Homeostatic Balance and Diversity of the Immune System

Naive T lymphocytes undergo heterogeneous proliferative responses when introduced into lymphopenic hosts, referred to as homeostatic proliferation and spontaneous proliferation. Spontaneous proliferation is a unique process through which the immune system generates memory phenotype cells with increasing T cell receptors repertoire complexity. Here, the mechanisms that initiate and control spontaneous proliferation are discussed.