Final answer:
T cells that respond too strongly or weakly during negative selection in the thymus are eliminated by induction of apoptosis, ensuring that mature T cells are able to recognize foreign antigens without attacking the body's own tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary fate of T cells that respond too strongly or weakly during negative selection in the thymus is B. Induction of apoptosis. During negative selection, self-antigens are presented to developing T cells by professional antigen-presenting cells. T cells that bind too strongly to these self-antigens signal that they have the potential to react against the body's own tissues, leading to autoimmunity. These self-reactive T cells are eliminated through a process called apoptosis to ensure that the mature T cells do not cause harm to the body's own cells. T cells that undergo negative selection and avoid apoptosis will become either CD4+ or CD8+ single positive T cells and are prepared to defend against foreign antigens.
Negative selection is crucial because it ensures that T cells with a moderate affinity for self-antigens within the context of MHC molecules are allowed to mature and enter the peripheral immune system, whereas those with high or very low affinity are eliminated, preserving self-tolerance and ensuring effective immune responses.
Learn more about Negative Selection