The ins and outs of type I iNKT cell development.

•Unlike classic T cells, NKT cells differentiate into effector subsets in the thymus.•Survival is tightly controlled by NF-κB, Erk, AMPK, Egr2, TCF-1, RORγt, and miRs.•Proliferation is regulated by c-myc, mTOR, E proteins, and HDAC3.•Effector functions are dictated by PLZF, Egr2, GATA3, T-bet, AP-1, Notch, and HDAC3.•Extrinsic signals originate from both hematopoietic and epithelial cells.