This protein plays a regulatory role in both positive and negative T cell selection during late thymocyte development. The protein functions through T-cell antigen receptor signaling, and is necessary for proper lineage commitment and maturation of T-cells.[4]
The name
THEMIS is an acronym for thymocyte-expressed-molecule. Themis is also the name of a Titan in Greek mythology who weighed the fates of humans, an apt choice since the protein is important in deciding the fate of the T cell during development.[5]
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Harrington JJ, Sherf B, Rundlett S, et al. (2001). "Creation of genome-wide protein expression libraries using random activation of gene expression". Nat. Biotechnol. 19 (5): 440–5. doi:10.1038/88107. PMID11329013.
Allen PM (2009). "Themis imposes new law and order on positive selection". Nat. Immunol. 10 (8): 805–6. doi:10.1038/ni0809-805. PMID19621038.