ABSTRACT: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subpopulation of evolutionarily conserved innate-like T lymphocytes bearing invariant or semi-invariant TCR? chains paired with a biased usage of TCR? chains and restricted by highly conserved monomorphic MHC class I-like molecule, MR1. Consistent with their phylogenetically conserved characteristics, MAIT cells have been implicated in host immune responses to microbial infections and non-infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and multiple sclerosis. To date, MAIT cells have been identified in humans, mice, cows, sheep, and several non-human primates, but not in pigs. Here, we cloned porcine MAIT (pMAIT) TCR? sequences from PBMC cDNA, and then analyzed the TCR? usage of pMAIT cells expressing the TRAV1-TRAJ33 chain, finding that pMAIT cells use a limited array of TCR? chains (predominantly TRBV20S and TRBV29S). We estimated the frequency of TRAV1-TRAJ33 transcripts in peripheral blood and tissues, demonstrating that TRAV1-TRAJ33 transcripts are expressed in all tested tissues. Analysis of the expression of TRAV1-TRAJ33 transcripts in three T-cell subpopulations from peripheral blood and tissues showed that TRAV1-TRAJ33 transcripts can be expressed by CD4+CD8-, CD8+CD4-, and CD4-CD8- T cells. Using a single-cell PCR assay, we demonstrated that pMAIT cells with the TRAV1-TRAJ33 chain express cell surface markers IL-18R?, IL-7R?, CCR9, CCR5, and/or CXCR6, and transcription factors PLZF, and T-bet and/or ROR?t. In conclusion, pMAIT cells expressing the TRAV1-TRAJ33 chain have characteristics similar to human and mouse MAIT cells, further supporting the idea that the pig is an animal model for investigating MAIT cell functions in human disease.