title: T cell development in CD3-zeta mutant mice.
abstract: Increasing evidence points to multiple pathways of T lymphocyte development. The well characterized thymus-dependent pathway gives rise to T cells bearing TCR alpha beta heterodimers and either CD4 or CD8 alpha beta co-receptors. T cells of this lineage populate peripheral lymphoid compartments including lymph nodes, spleen, skin, and Peyer's patches. By comparison, factors which govern extrathymic T cell development are poorly understood. A variety of experiments have shown that intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) develop outside of the thymic environment, e.g., in the gut of nude, SCID, and beta 2m-/- mutant mice, and after transplanting bone marrow or fetal liver cells into irradiated thymectomized adult mice. This review focuses on the role of the CD3-zeta subunit in the development of both thymically and extrathymically derived T cells as determined by gene-targeting experiments in mice. Data from these and other T cell-related mutations continue to define crucial stages in thymocyte differentiation. Most interestingly, CD3-zeta mutant mice contain a unique population of intestinal IELs that develops independently of thymic selective processes and expresses a novel TCR/CD3 complex.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain