title: Early alpha beta T cell development in the thymus of normal and genetically altered mice.
abstract: The vast majority of T lymphocytes, with the exception of gut-associated, intraepithelial lymphocytes, differentiate and mature inside the thymus. Early T cell development is characterized by expansion and differentiation of thymocytes which do not yet express mature TCRs on their cell surface. Important events in early thymocyte development are controlled by a pre-TCR complex consisting of a conventional TCR beta chain and a novel transmembrane protein termed pre-TCR alpha (p T alpha chain) which are noncovalently associated with components of CD3. Recent studies of pre-TCR function have led to a better understanding of the molecular events in early thymocyte development.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland. Fehling@bii.ch
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Fehling
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Boehmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D019891:Leukopoiesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta