A developmental look at thymus organogenesis: where do the non-hematopoietic cells in the thymus come from?
The origins of the non-hematopoietic cell types that comprise the thymic stroma remain a topic of considerable controversy. Three recent studies, using lineage analysis and other methods to determine the developmental potential of specific cell types within the thymus, have provided strong evidence of a single endodermal origin for all thymic epithelial cells. Together with other investigations that merge immunological and developmental biology approaches, these studies have suggested a new model of thymus organogenesis, and have begun to uncover the molecular pathways that control this process.
Manley
Nancy R
NR
Department of Genetics, B420A Life Sciences Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. nmanley@arches.uga.edu
Blackburn
C Clare
CC
D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology*