Reduced thymocyte development in sonic hedgehog knockout embryos.
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.
Shah
Divya K
DK
Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Hager-Theodorides
Ariadne L
AL
Outram
Susan V
SV
Ross
Susan E
SE
Varas
Alberto
A
Crompton
Tessa
T
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
D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015534:Trans-Activators