Stages of the rat thymic medulla development in foetal period.
Development of thymic medulla was examined on consecutive gestational days (GD) in Wistar rats. Medullary thymic epithelial cells (TEC) were identified by immunocytochemical localisation of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Organisation of thymic medullary architecture was determined by interaction of thymocytes with NSE-positive TEC, that led to formation of lymphoepithelial complexes (GD 19), in which the cells exhibited proliferative activity or traits of apoptosis. The studies indicated that differentiation events and organisation of thymic medulla require stage-specific interactions between TEC and thymocytes.
Brelińska
R
R
Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland. rbrel@poczta.onet.pl
Ostalska
D
D
Kaczmarek
E
E
Kowalska
K
K
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase