How much TCR does a T cell need?

Kinetic features of TCR:MHC/peptide interactions dictate their outcome in v itro, some important parameters of which include the number of molecules en gaged and the duration of engagement. We explored the in vivo significance of these findings in transgenic mice expressing TCRs in a quantitatively an d temporally controlled manner. As anticipated, reduced TCR levels resulted in attenuated reactivity, but response thresholds were substantially lower than expected-at as low as 1/20(th), the normal TCR numbers and with no in dication of phenotypic skewing at suboptimal levels. We also studied surviv al of T lymphocytes stripped of their TCRs. Unlike B cells, T cells lacking antigen receptors did not die precipitously; instead, populations decayed gradually, just as previously reported in the absence of MHC molecules.