Medical Condition:
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.