title: Evaluating human T cell receptor gene expression by PCR.
abstract: This unit describes the use of PCR to characterize and quantify rearranged transcripts from specific T cell receptor variable gene families in human tissue and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The strategy outlined in this unit has been extensively used on different sources of human tissue including brain, spinal cord, and skeletal muscle. A protocol is provided to clone and sequence PCR-amplified cDNA transcripts to study the junctional diversity of the expressed genes. A support protocol describes a method for reverse transcribing total RNA to make the cDNA required by the other protocols.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gussoni
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Panzara
authors.affiliation: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinman
mesh_terms: D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D012313:RNA