Abstract

Regulatory T (Treg) cells maintain dominant control of immune responses to foreign materials and microbes. Appropriate Treg cell suppression of immune responses is essential for the maintenance of efficacious defensive responses and the limitation of collateral tissue damage due to excess inflammation. Allergy and infection are well studied and frequent afflictions in which Treg cells play an essential role. As such, they provide excellent models to communicate the significance and relevance of Treg cells to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).