title: T-cell development in early partially decapitated chicken embryos.
abstract: We have evaluated the immunohistological and cytofluorometric changes that occur in the thymus of chicken embryos partially decapitated at 33-38 hr of incubation (DCx embryos) in an attempt to analyze possible neuroendocrinological influences on T-cell differentiation and, indirectly, the ontogeny of the so-called neuroendocrine-immune network. The thymus of DCx embryos shows important variations that profoundly and selectively affect different T-cell subsets, but not the nonlymphoid cell components of thymic stroma. These modifications include the accumulation of cell precursors, mainly DN (CD4-CD8-) cells and immature CD8lowCD4- cells, which expand but do not differentiate, resulting in an extreme decline of both DP (CD4+ CD8+) cells and TcR alpha beta-expressing cells. Accordingly, both subcapsulary and outer cortex increase in size, whereas the deep cortex and principally the thymic medulla almost disappear in DCx embryos. In contrast, other T-cell subsets of DCx embryos, largely CD8highCD4- cells and TcR gamma delta-expressing cells do not undergo significant variations throughout thymic ontogeny.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Virología e Immunología Sanitaríes Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varas
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zapata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta