Feeder-free advances in T cell development and therapy

<h2>Summary</h2> Human T cell development, encompassing processes in the bone marrow, thymus, and peripheral tissues, has been extensively characterized. Currently, researchers aim to recapitulate the entire T cell life trajectory <i>ex vivo</i> to generate optimal T cell products for therapeutic applications. Many technologies have been developed to support T cell differentiation, maturation, and activation <i>ex vivo</i>, initially utilizing feeder cells. However, the use of feeder cells presents challenges for clinical translation, including difficulties in standardizing production processes and risks of contamination in the final cell products. To address these issues, feeder-free technologies have been developed to facilitate human T cell differentiation from stem cells, as well as T cell maturation and activation. Here, we highlight the progress of feeder-free technologies throughout the T cell life trajectory in <i>ex vivo</i> settings. Additionally, we outline future perspectives on the continued development of feeder-free methodologies and their potential to improve the T cell-based treatments.