Interleukin (IL)-7 is critical for the maintenance of the peripheral T-cell compartment of the adaptive immune system. IL-7 receptor α ( IL-7Rα) expression is subject to developmental regulation and new T cells induce expression as they leave the thymus, which is essential for their long-term survival. It is not understood how this expression is regulated. Here, we identify a role for the Nuclear Factor κ-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in controlling expression of IL-7Rα in new T cells. Perturbations to NF-κB signaling, either by deletion of Inhibitor of Kappa-B Kinase-2 (IKK2) or by inhibiting Rel dimer activity, prevented normal IL-7Rα expression in new T cells. Defective IL-7Rα expression resulted in impaired survival and homeostatic cell division responses by T cells that could be attributed to their failure to express IL-7Rα normally. Surprisingly, NF-κB signaling was only required transiently in new T cells to allow their normal expression of IL-7Rα, because IKK2 deletion in mature T cells had no effect on IL-7Rα expression or their normal homeostatic responsiveness. Therefore, we identify a developmental function for NF-κB signaling in the homeostatic maturation of new T cells, by regulating IL-7Rα expression. M aintaining T lymphocytes in sufficient numbers and at an appropriate composition of differentiation states and subtypes is essential for effective immunity. The immune system has evolved a number of homeostatic mechanisms to ensure the size and composition of the T-cell compartment remains remarkably stable over time. The cytokine interleukin (IL)-7 plays a central role in regulating homeostasis of the T-cell compartment. It is essential for normal development of αβ and γδ T cells in the thymus and provides vital survival signals for both naive and memory T cells in the periphery (1). IL-7 is produced by stromal cell components in bone marrow, thymus, and in peripheral lymphoid compartments (2), and there is extensive evidence that production of IL-7 is a key factor that determines and limits the overall size of the peripheral T-cell compartment (3, 4). The receptor for IL-7 is a member of the common-gamma chain (γc) family of cytokine receptors and consists of a heterodimeric complex of IL-7Rα and γc (5).In T cells, IL-7 signaling is primarily regulated at the level of IL-7Rα expression. During T-cell development in the thymus, expression of IL-7Rα by thymocytes is subject to dynamic developmental regulation. IL-7Rα is essential for survival and development of CD4 CD8 double negative (DN) thymocytes (6). Expression is lost at the CD4 CD8 double positive (DP) stage, ensuring that onward development of DP thymocytes is restricted to those that successfully undergo positive selection (7). Immediately following selection, however, IL-7Rα is immediately reexpressed and recent studies suggest that the strength of T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated positive selection signaling determines the extent of reexpression by SP thymocytes (8). Following egress from the thymus, new T cells continue to mature as recent ...