Purpose of reviewStudies on adaptive cells have largely focused on features that are specific to adaptive immunity. However, adaptive cells utilize innate cell features to modulate their responses, and this area of T and B-cell biology is understudied. This review will highlight recent work done to understand how innate features of adaptive immune cells modulate alloimmunity.Recent findingsOver the past year, research has shown that T-cell-expressed danger-associated molecular patterns, Toll-like receptors, complement receptors, and Fc receptors regulate T-cell alloimmunity in a cell-intrinsic manner. Further, IL-17 and p40 of IL-12 have been implicated in the migration of T cells into allografts. Lastly, innate B cells, specifically B1 cells, have been shown to produce clinically relevant autoantibody associated with poor graft outcome.SummaryThese data provide evidence that innate features are utilized by adaptive immune cells to control adaptive alloimmunity.