| CD4-positive T-lymphocytes | A critical subpopulation of regulatory T-lymphocytes involved in the induction of most immunological functions. The HIV virus has selective tropism for the t4 cell which expresses the CD4 phenotypic marker, a receptor for HIV. In fact, the key element in the profound immunosuppression seen in HIV infection is the depletion of this subset of T-lymphocytes, which includes both the helper-inducer (T-lymphocytes, helper-inducer) and suppressor-inducer (T-lymphocytes, suppressor-inducer) T-cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
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