In contrast, large numbers of proliferating HEL-specific CD4+ T cells were detected in the retinas of sTg-IRBP:HELhi mice on day 4 (Fig. 4F), peaking 7–10 days post-infection (Fig.  4E,F; days post infection not significant; nTg vs sTg, p = 0.0007). This evidence concerns the gene CD4 and infection.