title: The zebrafish: a new model of T-cell and thymic development.
abstract: T-cell and thymic development are processes that have been highly conserved throughout vertebrate evolution. Mammals, birds, reptiles and fish share common molecular signalling pathways that regulate the development of the adaptive immune system. This Review article focuses on defining the similarities and differences between zebrafish and mammalian T-cell immunobiology, and it highlights the advantages of using the zebrafish as a genetic model to uncover mutations that affect T-cell and thymic development. Finally, we summarize the use of the zebrafish as a new model for assessing stem-cell function and for drug discovery.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 1 Blackfan Circle, Karp Building, Seventh floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02115-5713, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Langenau
authors.forename: Leonard I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Zon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D023421:Models, Animal; D009154:Mutation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology