The Thymic Repertoire of Neuroendocrine Self-Antigens: Physiological Implications in T-Cell Life and Death

During phylogeny aud ontogeny, the thymus appears as a crucial meeting point between the
neuroendocrine aud immune systems. Through cryptocrine intercellular communication,
thymic neuroendocrine-related precursors can influence the early steps of the immune response, while
T-cell precursors are educated to recognize the principal neuroendocrine families. Here, we summarize the observations that support the dual role of the thymic repertoire of neuroendocrine-related
polypeptidte precursors in T-cell differentiation.