Journey through the thymus: stromal guides for T-cell development and selection.
Lympho-stromal interactions in multiple microenvironments within the thymus have a crucial role in the regulation of T-cell development and selection. Recent studies have implicated that chemokines that are produced by thymic stromal cells have a pivotal role in positioning developing T cells within the thymus. In this Review, I discuss the importance of stroma-derived chemokines in guiding the traffic of developing thymocytes, with an emphasis on the processes of cortex-to-medulla migration and T-cell-repertoire selection, including central tolerance.
Division of Experimental Immunology, Institute for Genome Research, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. takahama@genome.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Yousuke
Y
Takahama
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D018925:Chemokines