title: Identifying subpopulations of thymic epithelial cells by flow cytometry using a new specific thymic epithelial marker, Ly110.
abstract: We generated monoclonal antibodies reacting to a mouse thymic epithelial cell specific membrane protein, Thymic Stromal Co-transporter (TSCOT)/Ly110. These antibodies showed specificity to the peptide sequences derived from TSCOT/Ly110 determined by specific peptide inhibition in flow cytometric analyses with cells expressing the protein on the surface. TSCOT/Ly110 expressing subpopulation can be identified among the CDR1(+) or 6C3(+) cortical epithelial cells. Furthermore, CDR1 positive cortical thymic epithelial cells can be separated into further distinguishable populations; CDR1(+)6C3(+)Ly110(+), CDR1(+)6C3(-)/(low)Ly110(+), CDR1(+)Ly110(-). Some of TSCOT/Ly110 expressing cells negative for both CDR1 and 6C3 markers were found at the earlier stages of development, while most of the cells are positive for both at 1-week-old stage. After then, downregulation in 6C3 and/or CDR1 expression was noticed until 16 weeks of age. These results suggest that TSCOT/Ly110 is a new marker for the subpopulation of CDR1(+) or 6C3(+) epithelial cells in the neonatal and adult thymus and is useful for the studies on the epithelial cell differentiation process.
authors.affiliation: Thymic Molecular Development Unit, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, NIAID, NIH, USA.
authors.forename: Soo Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sejin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Chan-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seeyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Moon Gyo
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D027981:Symporters / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; C483817:Cdr1 protein, mouse; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D027981:Symporters; C498632:Tscot protein, mouse