Final answer:
The correct development pathway for T cells is from the bone marrow, to the thymus, and finally to the lymph nodes. The bone marrow is the birthplace of T cell precursors, which then mature in the thymus before becoming active in the immune system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The development pathway of T cells can be described most accurately as originating in the bone marrow and then migrating to the thymus for maturation.
Thus, the correct sequence for the development of T cells is from the bone marrow to the thymus, and finally to the lymph nodes and other parts of the lymphatic system such as the spleen.
The bone marrow serves as the site for the inception of all lymphocytes, including T cells, and is where stem cells give rise to immature precursors.
These precursors then travel to the thymus, a primary lymphoid organ, to mature and differentiate into functional T cells capable of participating in adaptive immune responses.
After leaving the thymus, mature T cells enter secondary lymphoid organs like lymph nodes and the spleen, where they perform their immune functions.