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Journal article

Expression of genes encoding the pre-TCR and CD3 complex during thymus development.

  • Wilson A Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland.
  • MacDonald HR
  • 1995-10-01
Published in:
  • International immunology. - 1995
Animals
Cell Differentiation
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
In Situ Hybridization
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Protein Precursors
RNA, Messenger
Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
T-Lymphocytes
Thymus Gland
English The mature TCR is composed of a clonotypic heterodimer (alpha beta or gamma delta) associated with the invariant CD3 components (gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta). There is now considerable evidence that more immature forms of the TCR-CD3 complex (consisting of either CD3 alone or CD3 associated with a heterodimer of TCR beta and pre-T alpha) can be expressed at the cell surface on early thymocytes. These pre-TCR complexes are believed to be necessary for the ordered progression of early T cell development. We have analyzed in detail the expression of both the pre-TCR and CD3 complex at various stages of adult thymus development. Our data indicate that all CD3 components are already expressed at the mRNA level by the earliest identifiable (CD4lo) thymic precursor. In contrast, genes encoding the pre-TCR complex (pre-T alpha and fully rearranged TCR beta) are first expressed at the CD44loCD25+CD4-CD8- stage. Detectable surface expression of both CD3 and TCR beta are delayed relative to expression of the corresponding genes, suggesting the existence of other (as yet unidentified) components of the pre-TCR complex.
Language
  • English
Open access status
green
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.rero.ch/global/documents/180206
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