Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.

Interdigitating (IDC) cells of the thymus have been characterized in situ by their ultrastructure and phenotype. Thymic dendritic cells (DC), thought to represent their in vitro correlate, resemble splenic DC in their ability to initiate peripheral T cell responses. In vivo, however, DC of the thymu...

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Main Authors: Fairchild, P, Austyn, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 1990
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author Fairchild, P
Austyn, J
author_facet Fairchild, P
Austyn, J
author_sort Fairchild, P
collection OXFORD
description Interdigitating (IDC) cells of the thymus have been characterized in situ by their ultrastructure and phenotype. Thymic dendritic cells (DC), thought to represent their in vitro correlate, resemble splenic DC in their ability to initiate peripheral T cell responses. In vivo, however, DC of the thymus have been implicated in tolerance induction, although at one time they were thought to impart MHC-restriction on developing T cells. Our present understanding of these areas is reviewed here. An in vitro model has been developed to address directly the function of DC in the thymus. Mature DC and immature thymocytes migrate into deoxyguanosine-treated thymus lobes where they adopt a reciprocal distribution, DC homing primarily to the medulla while the thymocytes remain in the cortex. These observations support the close relationship between thymic DC and IDC and provide a powerful tool to examine the role of DC in thymocyte ontogeny.
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spelling oxford-uuid:63a241d9-5175-4870-9417-8484abdf8cfc2022-03-26T18:14:16ZThymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:63a241d9-5175-4870-9417-8484abdf8cfcEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford1990Fairchild, PAustyn, JInterdigitating (IDC) cells of the thymus have been characterized in situ by their ultrastructure and phenotype. Thymic dendritic cells (DC), thought to represent their in vitro correlate, resemble splenic DC in their ability to initiate peripheral T cell responses. In vivo, however, DC of the thymus have been implicated in tolerance induction, although at one time they were thought to impart MHC-restriction on developing T cells. Our present understanding of these areas is reviewed here. An in vitro model has been developed to address directly the function of DC in the thymus. Mature DC and immature thymocytes migrate into deoxyguanosine-treated thymus lobes where they adopt a reciprocal distribution, DC homing primarily to the medulla while the thymocytes remain in the cortex. These observations support the close relationship between thymic DC and IDC and provide a powerful tool to examine the role of DC in thymocyte ontogeny.
spellingShingle Fairchild, P
Austyn, J
Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title_full Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title_fullStr Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title_full_unstemmed Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title_short Thymic dendritic cells: phenotype and function.
title_sort thymic dendritic cells phenotype and function
work_keys_str_mv AT fairchildp thymicdendriticcellsphenotypeandfunction
AT austynj thymicdendriticcellsphenotypeandfunction