In order to gain insight into the mechanism of spontaneous autoimmune uveitis development in AireGW/+Lyn−/− mice, we characterized the TCRs of CD4 T cells specific for a key autoantigen epitope in the eye-draining lymph nodes of mice with and without uveitis and made a transgenic mouse line that re-capitulates key aspects of this disease model using the TCR from one expanded clonotype of intermediate avidity from mice with disease. The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is uveitis.