Identification of an early T cell progenitor for a pathway of T cell maturation in the bone marrow.
We have identified a rare ( approximately 0.05-0.1%) population of cells (Thy-1(hi)CD16(+)CD44(hi)CD2(-)TCRalphabeta(-)B220(-)M ac-1(-)NK1. 1(-)) in the adult mouse bone marrow that generates CD4(+) and CD8(+) TCRalphabeta(+) T cells after tissue culture for 48 hr in the presence of Ly5 congenic marrow cells. The essential stages in the maturation of the progenitors were determined; the stages included an early transition from CD2(-)CD16(+)CD44(hi)TCRalphabeta(-) to CD2(+)CD16(int/-)CD44(int/-)TCRalphabeta(-) cells, and a later transition to CD4(+)CD8(+)TCRalphabeta(+) double-positive T cells that rapidly generate the CD4(+) and CD8(+) single-positive T cells. The maturation of the progenitors is almost completely arrested at the CD2(+)TCRalphabeta(-) stage by the presence of mature T cells at the initiation of cultures. This alternate pathway is supported by the marrow microenvironment; it recapitulates critical intermediary steps in intrathymic T cell maturation.
Dejbakhsh-Jones
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Division of Immunology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5111, USA.
Strober
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D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018801:CD2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000032:analysis
D018801:CD2 Antigens; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens