title: Proliferation in vitro and interleukin production by 14 day fetal and adult Lyt-2-/L3T4- mouse thymocytes.
abstract: When 14 day fetal mouse thymocytes, which are phenotypically Lyt-2-/L3T4-(2-4-), were stimulated in vitro with a combination of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and the calcium ionophore ionomycin, they proliferated without addition of exogenous interleukins and/or growth factors. Addition of exogenous IL 2 resulted in a slight enhancement of fetal thymocyte proliferation. By using factor-dependent indicator cell lines, this proliferation was shown to be accompanied by the production of IL 2 and IL 3. However, phenotypic analysis by using flow microfluorometry and monoclonal antibodies to Lyt-2 and L3T4 showed little differentiation among proliferating 2-4-fetal thymocytes. Interestingly, the in vitro growth of PMA + ionomycin-stimulated fetal thymocytes appeared to be IL 2 dependent in that it was inhibited by a monoclonal antibody to the IL 2 receptor. The results obtained with fetal thymocytes were compared with those obtained when using 2-4- thymocytes from adult mice.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003470:Culture Media; D004987:Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015759:Ionomycin; D051379:Mice; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D003470:Culture Media; D004987:Ethers; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015759:Ionomycin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate