期刊
CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY
卷 261, 期 2, 页码 81-92出版社
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2009.11.004
关键词
Thymic nurse cell; Epithelial progenitor; Membrane extensions; Cytokeratins; Heterotypic internalization; MHC restriction; Trp-63
资金
- NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH RESOURCES [G12RR003060] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NCRR NIH HHS [5G12RR03060, G12 RR003060-25, G12 RR003060] Funding Source: Medline
Thymic nurse cells (TNCs) are epithelial cells in the thymic cortex that contain as many as 50 thymocytes within specialized Cytoplasmic vacuoles. The function of this cell-in-cell interaction has Created controversy since their discovery in 1980. Further, some skepticism exists about the idea that apoptotic thymocytes within the TNC complex result from negative selection, a process believed to occur exclusively within the medulla. In this report, we have microscopic evidence that defines a unique membranous environment wherein lipid raft aggregates around the alpha beta TCR expressed oil captured thymocytes and class II MHC molecules expressed on TNCs. Further, immunohistological examination of thymic sections show TNCs located within the cortico-medullary junction to express cytokeratins five and eight (K5 and K8), and the transcription factor Trp-63, the phenotype defined elsewhere as the thymic epithelial progenitor subset. Our results suggest that the microenvironment provided by TNCs plays an important role in thymocyte selection as well as the potential for TNCs to be involved in the maintenance of thymic epithelia. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
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