title: Developing T-cell migration: role of semaphorins and ephrins.
abstract: Cell migration is a crucial event for normal T-cell development, and various ligand/receptor pairs have been implicated. Most of them, including chemokines and extracellular matrix proteins, have attractant properties on thymocytes. We discuss herein two further groups of ligand/receptor pairs, semaphorins/neuropilins and ephs/ephrins, which are constitutively expressed by thymocytes and thymic microenvironmental cells. Evidence shows that the corresponding interactions are relevant for developing T-cell migration, including the entry of bone marrow progenitor cells, migration of CD4/CD8-defined thymocyte subpopulations triggered by chemokines and/or extracellular matrix proteins, and thymocyte export. Conceptually, the data summarized here show that thymocyte migration results from a complex network of molecular interactions, which generate not only attraction, but also repulsion of migrating T-cell precursors.
authors: Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Daniella Arêas
authors: DA
authors: Mendes-da-Cruz
authors: Marco Augusto
authors: MA
authors: Stimamiglio
authors: Juan Jose
authors: JJ
authors: Muñoz
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Alfaro
authors: Eugênia
authors: E
authors: Terra-Granado
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Garcia-Ceca
authors: Luis Miguel
authors: LM
authors: Alonso-Colmenar
authors: Wilson
authors: W
authors: Savino
authors: Agustin G
authors: AG
authors: Zapata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D036342:Ephrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D039961:Semaphorins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D036342:Ephrins; D039961:Semaphorins