Thymic involution in pregnant mice. I. Characterization of the remaining thymocyte subpopulations.
Pregnancy-induced thymic atrophy was studied in mice during the course of syngeneic gestation and the post-partum period. Cortical thymocytes were greatly reduced in number as shown by the binding of fluorescein-labelled PNA. The pool of steroid-resistant (SR) medullary thymocytes appeared unchanged in pregnant mice when studied by means of a specific heteroantiserum (SRCA). Therefore, in pregnant mice, these two surface markers demonstrated that thymic atrophy was linked to steroid-sensitive (SS) cortical cell reduction. The presumed hydrocortisone resistance of the mother's remaining thymocytes is not related to a difference in the number of steroid receptors as determined by 3H-dexamethasone binding.
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D002452:Cell Count; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000276:immunology; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*
D037102:Lectins; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone