<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> An interesting and somewhat technical review article on T cells and the intestinal mucosal appears in the latest Nature Reviews Immunology. NRI appears to be giving free access to the full text and PDF version during the month of April only. I was able to access the full text of this article free. This article has some good illustrations and descriptions of the immune system at the gut mucosa, including gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), dendritic cells, and, of course, T cells. For those of you subscribing to Scott Adams Celiac.com newsletter, I have an article in the new spring issue, "Are Commensal Bacteria with a Taste for Gluten the Missing Link in the Pathogenesis of Celiac Disease?" This Nature Reviews Immunology article provides good further reading and illustrations. ---------- Nature Reviews Immunology April 2004 Vol 4 No 4 Pages 290-300 Nature Reviews Immunology website: http://www.nature.com/nri/ Full-text (paste adress together on one line): http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf? file=/nri/journal/v4/n4/full/nri1333_fs.html ACQUIRED AND NATURAL MEMORY T CELLS JOIN FORCES AT THE MUCOSAL FRONT LINE Hilde Cheroutre & Loui Madakamutil Abstract The intestine is fundamental for the uptake of fluids and nutrients, but it also provides a main entrance for pathogens. This unique challenge has imposed an important evolutionary drive for distinctive specialization of the mucosal defence mechanisms. A hallmark of the modern immune system is its ability to generate antigen-specific memory T cells, which can provide immediate, potent and long-lasting protection. The high demand for effective protection, which is also compatable with vital functions of the intestine, has ensured that unique subsets of memory T cells have evolved at the mucosal front line. This review discusses the various mucosal T-cell subsets, and the new insights we have gained in understanding their specific differentiation and unique functions. * * * * Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *