title: Intra- and extra-thymic expression of the pre-T cell receptor alpha gene.
abstract: We have analyzed pre-T cell receptor alpha (pT alpha) gene expression in cells from various anatomical sites to investigate the lineage specificity of pT alpha RNA as well as its presence in pro-T cells and in sites of extrathymic T cell development. pT alpha RNA is found in precursors of alpha beta T cells but is absent from mature alpha beta T cells as well as T cells that express the gamma delta T cell receptor on the cell surface. pT alpha expression is exquisitely T lineage specific in that mature and immature B cells, myeloid cells, NK cells and pluripotent stem cells are pT alpha negative. On the other hand, pT alpha expression is found in pro-T cells outside the thymus as well as in intra- and extra-thymic sites of T cell development. The latter finding is consistent with the notion that early steps of T cell development within and outside the thymus may be similar.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolink
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Boehmer
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rodewald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta