TY - JOUR AU - Hong, Tian AU - Xing, Jianhua AU - Li, Liwu AU - Tyson, John J. PY - 2012 DA - 2012/06/14 TI - A simple theoretical framework for understanding heterogeneous differentiation of CD4+ T cells JO - BMC Systems Biology SP - 66 VL - 6 IS - 1 AB - CD4+ T cells have several subsets of functional phenotypes, which play critical yet diverse roles in the immune system. Pathogen-driven differentiation of these subsets of cells is often heterogeneous in terms of the induced phenotypic diversity. In vitro recapitulation of heterogeneous differentiation under homogeneous experimental conditions indicates some highly regulated mechanisms by which multiple phenotypes of CD4+ T cells can be generated from a single population of naïve CD4+ T cells. Therefore, conceptual understanding of induced heterogeneous differentiation will shed light on the mechanisms controlling the response of populations of CD4+ T cells under physiological conditions. SN - 1752-0509 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-0509-6-66 DO - 10.1186/1752-0509-6-66 ID - Hong2012 ER -