title: Identification and phenotypic characterization of γδ T cells in rat lymph.
abstract: γδ T cells represent an unconventional subset of T lymphocytes that are abundant in epithelial tissues and serve as an early immune defense against microbes. We have, for the first time, identified γδ T cells in steady-state thoracic duct lymph (TDL) from rats. The lymph contains γδ T cells expressing CD8 but not CD4, CD25, MHC-II or CD103. The percentage of TDL γδ T cells in rats does not change when the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) are surgically removed. Our data suggest that a proportion of γδ T cells migrate from the intestine into rat TDL, under steady-state conditions.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK. umshekha@cc.umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: Sudhanshu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shekhar
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milling
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: MacPherson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008196:Lymph / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta