title: Demonstration of keratin filaments in thymic nurse cells (TNC) and alloreactivity of TNC-T cell population.
abstract: In vitro cultured epithelial reticular cells from foetal thymic explants and thymic nurse cells (TNC) demonstrate the presence of keratin filaments in the cytoplasm. Keratin-positive cells of cultured thymic epithelium are heterogeneous in size and shape as are TNC. T cells inside the nurse cells (TNC-T) ooze out after 18 h of incubation at 37 degrees C. The alloreactivity of these T cells was compared with that of thymocytes and lymph node (LN) cells in a miniaturised mixed lymphocyte reaction using hanging drops set up in Terasaki plates. AKR TNC-T cells and LN cells showed significant proliferative response when stimulated by BALB/c LN cells. No significant proliferative response was shown by non-TNC thymocytes. The data suggest that TNC harbour a mature sample of the T-cell population as judged by alloreactivity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000032:analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins