Where are T cells located within a lymph node?

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Diagram of the human lymphatic system highlighting lymphatic vessels and major lymphoid organs, including lymph nodes, adenoids, tonsils, thymus gland, spleen, appendix, bone marrow, and ducts. — lymphatic system The human lymphatic system, showing the lymphatic vessels and lymphoid organs.

Within a lymph node, T cells are primarily located in the paracortex, which is also known as the inner cortex.1

When T cells enter the lymph node through specialized blood vessels called high endothelial venules (HEVs), they migrate to and remain in the paracortex. In this region, accessory cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages present antigenic peptides to the naive T cells, which stimulates their activation into helper T cells or cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Once activated, these cells migrate through the medulla to exit the lymph node via the efferent lymphatic vessel.1