FT-2 antigen for distinguishing lymphocyte subpopulations in the developing thymus.
The surface phenotypes of lymphoid cells in the developing embryonic thymus were characterized by using monoclonal antibodies. FT-2 antigen thus defined was predominantly expressed on thymocytes in the earlier embryonic stages in all the inbred mouse strains tested. The immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase tests indicated that, like FT-1 antigen, the proportion of FT-2+ fetal thymocytes rapidly decreased with increase in gestation time, and these cells disappeared by day 19 of gestation. The treatment of fetal thymocytes with anti-FT-1 plus complement eliminated not only FT-1+, but also FT-2+ cells, whereas the treatment with anti-FT-2 failed to eliminate approximately 40% of FT-1+ cells, suggesting that embryonic thymocytes can be provisionally divided into at least three subpopulations, FT-1+2+, FT-1+2- and FT-1-2-.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface