CHARACTERIZATION OF THYMIC NURSE-CELL LYMPHOCYTES, USING AN IMPROVED PROCEDURE FOR NURSE-CELL ISOLATION
- Author(s)
- Lahoud, M; Vremec, D; Boyd, RL; Shortman, K;
- Details
- Publication Year 1993,Volume 3,Issue #2,Page 103-112
- Journal Title
- DEVELOPMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- Thymic nurse cells (TNC), multicellular complexes consisting of lymphoid cells enclosed within cortical epithelial cells, were isolated from mouse thymus by a modified procedure allowing immunofluorescent labeling and flow cytometric analysis of their lymphoid contents (TNC-L). Collagenase was the only protease used for tissue digestion, to ensure that surface antigen markers remained intact. Zonal unit-gravity elutriation was used to enrich the TNC on the basis of their high sedimentation rate, followed by immunomagnetic bead depletion to remove residual mononuclear cell contaminants and a density separation to remove debris. The TNC-L were then released from inside TNC by a short period of culture. The measured contamination of TNC-L with exogenous thymocytes was around 0.5%. Three-color immunofluorescent labeling revealed that TNC-L included, as well as a majority of immature CD4+8+3low thymocytes, about 12% of apparently mature CD4+8-3high and CD4-8+3high thymocytes. TNC are located in the cortex, where mature cells are rare; the occurrence of mature phenotype cells within these structures suggests that they represent a microenvironment for the selection and generation of mature T cells.
- Publisher
- HARWOOD ACAD PUBL GMBH
- Keywords
- THYMOCYTES; DIFFERENTIATION; IMMUNOCOMPETENCE; COMPLEXES; SELECTION
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1155/1993/43482
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 1993-01-01 12:00:00