Cellular aspects of early T-cell development.
Although the nature of the precursor cells seeding the thymus is still uncertain, their immediate progeny in the adult murine thymus have now been isolated. These lymphoid-restricted, prothymocyte-like cells express CD4, but neither CD4 nor CD8 seem to be involved in the early steps of T-cell development. Cytokines produced by stromal cells are likely to be involved in intrathymic T-cell development, but interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 do not appear to be required. There is still no satisfactory cell-culture model of intrathymic T-cell development. Current culture systems reflect only fragments of the process, or are models of extrathymic developmental pathways.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.
K
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Shortman
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta