Taking the thymus to pieces.
Complex in vitro and in vivo techniques are being combined to unlock the remaining secrets of the thymus. In this report from a recent thymus workshop*, Bruno Kyewski and Thomas Hünig describe the genetic manipulations aimed at clarifying the mechanisms of T-cell selection and lineage commitment, and the use of organ culture and immunohistology to identify the thymic microenvironments in which these events take place.
Kyewski
B
B
Forschungsschwerpunkt, Tumor-Immunologie, Deutsches, Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, FRG.
Hünig
T
T
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology