title: Development in the thymus: it takes two to tango.
abstract: Intrathymic T-cell development is dependent upon signals provided by the thymic stromal cell microenvironment. However, loss of thymic T cells in natural and experimentally induced situations is associated with a reduction in the surrounding epithelium, suggesting an interdependence between thymocytes and their microenvironment. Here, the authors review the evidence in favour of this intrathymic symbiosis, and hypothesize that T cells may provide maturation and survival signals that are necessary for the development and maintenance of their microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Immunology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines