The traffic of T cells between the thymus and peripheral lymphoid organs is generally thought to be unidirectional. Using a technique of lymphocyte transfer between Thy-1 congenic mice, we demonstrate here the entry of rare peripheral lymph node T cells into the normal mouse thymus. At time points from 3 h to 24 wk after transfer, donor peripheral T cells were present in the host thymus, mainly as scattered single cells confined to the medulla. At 2 wk after transfer, donor T cells constituted 0.2% of the medullary thymocytes (compared with 11% of the peripheral lymph node T cells). As a population, these cells exhibited a stable mature immunophenotype (Ly-1hi, PNAlo, and mixed L3T4- and Lyt-2+). A minority of the donor T cells expressed high levels of the MEL-14 "homing receptor". The thymic medulla thus exhibits features of a peripheral lymphoid organ but differs in its low rate of turnover of recirculating T cells.
Article|
November 01 1988
Rare peripheral T cells migrate to and persist in normal mouse thymus.
S A Michie
,
S A Michie
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
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E A Kirkpatrick
,
E A Kirkpatrick
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
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R V Rouse
R V Rouse
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
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S A Michie
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
E A Kirkpatrick
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
R V Rouse
Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, California 94305.
Online Issn: 1540-9538
Print Issn: 0022-1007
J Exp Med (1988) 168 (5): 1929–1934.
Citation
S A Michie, E A Kirkpatrick, R V Rouse; Rare peripheral T cells migrate to and persist in normal mouse thymus.. J Exp Med 1 November 1988; 168 (5): 1929–1934. doi: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.168.5.1929
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