T cell differentiation: a mechanistic view

It has recently become clear that cytokine expression by T cells involves e pigenetic changes in chromatin structure, locus accessibility and DNA methy lation that occur during differentiation of naive T cells into mature effec tor T cells. These changes require the coordinate actions of antigen- and c ytokine-induced transcription factors, chromatin remodeling complexes, hist one-modifying enzymes and subset-specific transcription factors.