Members of the T lymphocyte lineage belong to a highly reactive cell system engaged in the control of internal homoeostasis and bodily intactness. It fulfills its commitments in close communication with the cellular and non-cellular microenvironment and with neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms. The tools of such communication are various substances and compounds identified as cytokines, chemokines, hormones, growth factors, neuropeptides and components of the extracellular matrix. In a previous publication (22) we described the major players in the network regulation of T cell development and function as a basis for a computational modeling study. The present paper summarizes normal reference values for serum and/or plasma concentrations of these factors in man.