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An investigation of T cell receptor gene rearrangement and expression in organ cultures of normal embryonic thymus and Thy‐1 + cells of nude mice
Author(s) -
Owen Michael J.,
Jenkinson Eric J.,
Williams Gwyn T.,
Kingston Rosetta,
Owen John J. T.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830160728
Subject(s) - biology , receptor , embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , concanavalin a , gene rearrangement , gene , genetics , in vitro
Abstract We have shown that beginning with 14‐day mouse embryo thymus, rearrangements of T cell receptor β‐chain genes and transcripts of α and β chains culminating in the generation of T cell receptor‐bearings cells can be obtained in organ cultures. We have failed to detect rearrangement β chain genes, and β chain transcripts or membrane receptors in concanavalin A‐activated nude spleen cells, although we cannot exclude the possibility that a minor subpopulation of nude Thy‐1 + cells may express T cell receptors. Our results suggest that the thymus is both necessary and sufficient for generation of T cell receptor‐bearing cell and that organ culture provides a system for further investigation of the mechanisms involved.