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Thymic microenvironment at the light microscopic level
Author(s) -
Schuurman HenkJan,
Kuper C. Frieke,
Kendall Marion D.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0029(19970801)38:3<216::aid-jemt3>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - biology , stroma , microbiology and biotechnology , phenotype , immune system , reticular cell , bone marrow , cell , stromal cell , lymphatic system , pathology , immunology , gene , cancer research , genetics , spleen , medicine , immunohistochemistry
The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ that serves the immune system by providing an optimal microenvironment for developing T cells to rearrange the genes encoding the T‐cell receptor and to undergo positive and negative selection in shaping the peripheral T‐cell repertoire. The microenvironment of the organ is peculiar among lymphoid organs, as the supporting stroma consists of reticular epithelial cells. Bone marrow‐derived interdigitating cells and macrophages are the main accessory cell populations. The epithelium, interdigitating cells, and macrophages each contribute to the T‐cell selection process. During the last decade knowledge has been gathered that these cell populations show a considerable heterogeneity, as documented for subcellular features and immunologic phenotype. This heterogeneity may reflect various stages in differentiation, but may otherwise be linked to the functional activity of the cells. The authors survey the major cell populations, i.e., epithelial cells and lymphocytes. Macrophages and interdigitating cells are briefly discussed. Emphasis is given to functional aspects of histologic/cytologic features. Microsc. Res. Tech. 38:216–226, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.