A bone marrow‐derived stroma cell line, ST2, can support the differentiation of fetal thymocytes from the CD4CD8double negative to the CD4+ CD8+ double positive …

Tong, Kishi, Matsuda, Muraguchi - Immunology, 1999 - Wiley Online Library
Tong, Kishi, Matsuda, Muraguchi
Immunology, 1999Wiley Online Library
T‐cell precursors differentiate into mature T cells predominantly in the thymus. However, it
has also been reported that T‐cell precursors mature in extrathymic organs such as the liver,
bone marrow, or intestines. In order to investigate the nature of the extrathymic
microenvironment that supports T‐cell maturation, we examined the effect of a bone marrow‐
derived stroma cell line, ST2, on T‐cell precursors by using a reaggregate thymic organ
culture (RTOC) system. We found that ST2 cells supported the differentiation of fetal …
T‐cell precursors differentiate into mature T cells predominantly in the thymus. However, it has also been reported that T‐cell precursors mature in extrathymic organs such as the liver, bone marrow, or intestines. In order to investigate the nature of the extrathymic microenvironment that supports T‐cell maturation, we examined the effect of a bone marrow‐derived stroma cell line, ST2, on T‐cell precursors by using a reaggregate thymic organ culture (RTOC) system. We found that ST2 cells supported the differentiation of fetal thymocytes at day 14·5 of gestation from a CD4 CD8 double negative (DN) to a CD4+ CD8+ double positive (DP) differentiation stage in a manner similar to that observed in thymus. Anti‐interleukin‐7 receptor (IL‐7R) and anti‐c‐kit antibodies blocked the growth of thymocytes in RTOC with ST2 cells, but did not inhibit the generation of DP thymocytes. These data indicate that a bone marrow‐derived stroma cell, ST2, which supports B‐cell differentiation, is also able to support T‐cell development and may constitute one of the microenvironmental components for extrathymic T‐cell development.
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