title: Dynamics of thymocyte-stromal cell interactions visualized by two-photon microscopy.
abstract: Thymocytes are selected to mature according to their ability to interact with self major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-peptide complexes displayed on the thymic stroma. Using two-photon microscopy, we performed real-time analysis of the cellular contacts made by developing thymocytes undergoing positive selection in a three-dimensional thymic organ culture. A large fraction of thymocytes within these cultures were highly motile. MHC recognition was found to increase the duration of thymocyte-stromal cell interactions and occurred as both long-lived cellular associations displaying stable cell-cell contacts and as shorter, highly dynamic contacts. Our results identify the diversity and dynamics of thymocyte interactions during positive selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bousso
authors.forename: Nirav R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Bhakta
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001578:Benzopyrans; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D002450:Cell Communication; D002465:Cell Movement; D048429:Cell Size; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D007834:Lasers; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D009284:Naphthols; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D017785:Photons; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D012235:Rhodamines; D015398:Signal Transduction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D013388:Succinimides; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C087165:5-(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester; D001578:Benzopyrans; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D009284:Naphthols; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D012235:Rhodamines; D013388:Succinimides; C091666:seminaphthorhodaminefluoride