title: Characterization of immature CD4+CD8-CD3- thymocytes.
abstract: Previously we have described (Hugo, P. et al., Int. Immunol. 1990. 2: 209) an immature CD4+CD8-CD3- thymocyte subset which is thought to be the counterpart of the CD4-CD8+CD3- subset. In this study we show that the ontogeny of these two subsets is parallel in fetal thymic organ culture. Extensive phenotypic characterization of CD4+CD8-CD3- cells reveals that they closely resemble CD4-CD8+CD3- thymocytes being: HSAhigh, Thy-1high, interleukin 2 receptor alpha chain negative, CD44-, H-2K+/-, CD5low, MEL-14low/intermediate, CD2+, LFA-1+ and MTS 35+. Finally, we show that the proportion of CD4+CD8-CD3- thymocytes is highly variable between mouse strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash Medical School, Melbourne.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hugo
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Waanders
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scollay
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell