Development of T lymphocytes at extrathymic sites.
T lymphocytes expressing both CD4 and CD8 are the predominant cell type in the thymic cortex but are extremely rare outside the thymus of normal mice. In this article, we show that if precursor thymocytes (CD4-CD8-) from fetal or adult donors are injected i.v. into irradiated recipients, some of these cells will lodge in lymph nodes and develop into both CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) and CD4+ or CD8+ (single-positive) cells. This phenomenon also occurred in thymectomized recipients, strongly suggesting it is genuine extrathymic development. Prethymic precursors (e.g., fetal liver), were unable to use the lymph node for T cell development, without thymic processing. The data suggest that given unusual circumstances (irradiation or thymectomy and availability of appropriate precursors), the lymph nodes can support T cell development.
Antica
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Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
Scollay
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D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D019891:Leukopoiesis / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation
D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens