title: Stromal cell networks regulate thymocyte migration and dendritic cell behavior in the thymus.
abstract: After entry into thymus, T cell progenitors migrate in the cortex and the medulla while completing their education. Recent reports have documented the dynamic and tortuous behavior of thymocytes. However, other than chemokines and/or segregated thymic substrates, the factors contributing to the dynamic patterns of thymocyte movement are poorly characterized. By combining confocal and dynamic two-photon microscopy, we demonstrate that thymocytes continuously migrate on thymic stromal cell networks. In addition to constituting "roads" for thymocytes, we observed that these networks also provide a scaffold on which dendritic cells attach themselves. These results highlight the central role of stromal microanatomy in orchestrating the multiple cellular interactions necessary for T cell migration/development within the thymus.
authors.affiliation: Centre d' Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, INSERM, Unité Mixte de Recherche-S 631, F 13009 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sanos
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fallet
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajenoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens