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Hematopoietic progenitor migration to the adult thymus
Author(s) -
Zlotoff Daniel A.,
Bhandoola Avinash
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05881.x
Subject(s) - progenitor , haematopoiesis , progenitor cell , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , immunology , stem cell
Although most hematopoietic lineages develop in the bone marrow (BM), T cells uniquely complete their development in the specialized environment of the thymus. Hematopoietic stem cells with long‐term self‐renewal capacity are not present in the thymus. As a result, continuous T cell development requires that BM‐derived progenitors be imported into the thymus throughout adult life. The process of thymic homing begins with the mobilization of progenitors out of the BM, continues with their circulation in the bloodstream, and concludes with their settling in the thymus. This review will discuss each of these steps as they occur in the unirradiated and postirradiation scenarios, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of regulation. Improved knowledge about these early steps in T cell generation may accelerate the development of new therapeutic options in patients with impaired T cell number or function.