Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common and most severe form of
inflammatory arthritis. The pathogenesis of RA has been the subject of
intense research for several decades. The prevailing hypotheses have
changed over the years, and have attempted to incorporate the most
recent data. Although T cells represent an important component of the
cells which infiltrate the joint synovium, their contribution at a late
stage of the disease remains a matter of debate. The goal of this book
is to outline the major arguments and data suggesting that T cells may,
or may not, be central players in the pathogenesis of chronic RA. While
each of the editors and authors has his/her own bias (as will be clear
by reading the respective chapters), our hope is that the readers will
enjoy a complete and balanced view of the critical questions and
experiments. This is not just an intellectual exercise since the
direction of future therapeutic interventions depends heavily on how one
interprets the pathogenesis of RA and the contribution of T cells.