Human regulatory T cells and autoimmunity

CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Treg) appear to be critical in regulating immune responses to self-antigens. Treg deficiency is associated with several human autoimmune diseases. Although substantial progress has been made in the study of murine and human Treg, their fundamental mechanism of action remains unknown. In this review, we discuss the phenotype of human natural Treg, their functional mechanism, and their role in autoimmune disease.