title: Identification of CD2-/CD3+ T cells in fetal human tissue.
abstract: From 1 to 23% of fetal human spleen or thymus cells (from the 20th to 24th week of gestation) were found to display a previously unrecognized CD2-/CD3+ phenotype. IL-2-dependent, long-term clones of CD2-/3+ T cells did not react with a panel of anti-CD2 mAbs and did not form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes. These results show that (a) significant numbers of CD2-/3+ T cells are present in fetal human spleen and/or thymus; and (b) in contrast to the widely accepted view, expression of CD2 is not a prerequisite for the expression of the CD3 molecular complex on human T cells.
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic