title: Reduced thymocyte development in sonic hedgehog knockout embryos.
abstract: The Hedgehog family of secreted intercellular signaling molecules are regulators of patterning and organogenesis during animal development. In this study we provide genetic evidence that Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) has a role in the control of murine T cell development. Analysis of Shh(-/-) mouse embryos revealed that Shh regulates fetal thymus cellularity and thymocyte differentiation. Shh is necessary for expansion of CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative (DN) thymocytes and for efficient transition from the earliest CD44(+)CD25(-) DN population to the subsequent CD44(+)CD25(+) DN population and from DN to CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Divya K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ariadne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hager-Theodorides
authors.forename: Susan V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Outram
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varas
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crompton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D005333:Fetus; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015534:Trans-Activators