title: [Clinical evaluation of thymic function].
abstract: The essential role of the thymus is to install an extremely diverse repertoire of T lymphocytes that are self-tolerant and competent against non-self, as well as to generate self-antigen specific regulatory T cells (Treg) able to inactivate in periphery self-reactive T cells having escaped the thymic censorship. Although indirect, techniques of medical imaging and phenotyping of peripheral T cells may help in the investigation of thymic function. Nowadays however, thymopoiesis is better evaluated through quantification by PCR of T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) generated by intrathymic random recombination of the gene segments coding for the variable parts of the T-cell receptor for antigen (TCR). The TREC methodology is very valuable in the circumstances not associated with intense proliferation or apoptosis of peripheral T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: CHU Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgique.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castermans
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrhaye
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moutschen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beguin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Geenen
mesh_terms: D004270:DNA, Circular; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell