T lymphocytes are conventionally divided into subsets based upon expression of co-receptors, cytokines and surface molecules. By mRNA microarray analysis, T lymphocytes that express the C-type lectin CD161 were identified to share a transcriptional profile, which led to the identification of an innate function across these previously defined subsets, including CD8, CD4 and TCRgd T cells. Overall design: Gene expression of sort purified, resting CD161+ and CD161- TCRgd T cells from peripheral blood was measured in 4 healthy donors.