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Interaction of T lymphocytes with other cell types is important for normal T-cell development and function. Recently, a number of adhesion molecules important in T-cell interactions with other cell types have been defined. In this paper we review the role of two adhesion pathways, CD2/LFA-3 and LFA-1/ICAM-1, in T-cell interactions with epithelial cells of the thymus and skin. While thymic epithelium-T-cell interactions were mediated by both the LFA-1/ICAM-1 pathway and the CD2/LFA-3 pathway, epidermal-T-cell interactions were mediated primarily by the LFA-1/ICAM-1 pathway. Although ICAM-1 was not expressed in vivo on epidermal keratinocytes in normal skin, ICAM-1 was expressed by epidermal keratinocytes at the site of T-cell infiltration in inflammatory dermatitis. ICAM-1 was expressed in vivo on thymic epithelium. Both LFA-3 and ICAM-1 were expressed on epithelial cells of thymus and skin early on in fetal ontogeny. These antigen-independent adhesion molecules play an important role in the cell-cell interactions associated with T-cell differentiation and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]