Key Gene May Be Crucial to Production of Thymus and Disease-Fighting T-cells

sea-maid submitted, created time 1 month 4 weeks (gopast.net)

This research provides the first evidence that a key gene may be crucial to maintaining the production of the thymus and its disease-fighting T-cells after an animal’s birth.

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Immune System Reactivated in Adults with HIV: Thymus Producing New T-cells

Molecular events that regulate αβ versus γδ T cell lineage commitment: old suspects, new players and different game plans

julie submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.sciencedirect.com)

"The divergence of αβ and γδ T cells from a common precursor in the thymus is regulated by multiple cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors, most of which are not well defined. Recent studies have provided crucial data regarding the precise timing of lineage commitment and some clarification on the extent of the involvement of Notch and T-cell receptor signaling in this process

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T-cell potential and development in vitro: the OP9-DL1 approach

julie submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.sciencedirect.com)

"In vivo, T cells develop in the thymus from bone marrow-derived hematopoietic progenitors. Similarly, T cells can develop in vitro in model systems that mimic thymic function. The recent development of the OP9-DL1 cell culture system, a two-dimensional T-inductive environment, has provided greater access to the processes of commitment and development in T lymphocytes. "

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Germline transcription from T-cell receptor Vbeta gene is uncoupled from allelic exclusion

claudia submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.nature.com)

Allelic exclusion operates in B and T lymphocytes to ensure clonal expression of antigen receptors after V(D)J recombination. Germline transcription, which proceeds V(D)J recombination, has been postulated to provide an instructive signal for allelic exclusion. Here, we use a genetic marker to track germline transcription from a Vbeta gene within the TCRbeta locus. We find that developing thymocytes exhibit uniformed, bi-allelic activation of the Vbeta gene before V-DJ recombination, a process subject to allelic exclusion

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