title: Development of cytolytic T lymphocyte precursors in organ-cultured mouse embryonic thymus rudiments.
abstract: The appearance of immunologically competent cells in the organ-cultured mouse fetal thymic rudiment has been investigated. Fetal thymuses removed at 14 d of gestation and cultured for 7-21 d were assayed for their content of cytolytic T lymphocyte precursors (CTL-P) directed against H-2d alloantigens. Whereas CTL-P were undetectable within fetal thymus until 18-19 d of gestation, their frequency in the organ-cultured fetal thymus was similar to, or greater than that found in the normal adult thymus. This direct demonstration of the appearance of alloreactive CTL-P in a closed in vitro system should provide an accessible model for the investigation of interactions between developing T cells and the thymic microenvironment.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors