Jurkat cells are immortalized T lymphocytes first derived from the peripheral blood of a child suffering from leukemia. Originally called JM cells, Jurkat cells found its significance due to its robust ability to produce interleukin-2. Eventually it has become well known for its role in understanding T-cell receptor signaling and T-cell activation. Jurkat and its variants have since become useful in other areas such as in protein expression, viral interactions, and cancer biochemistry, among others.