Maturation and migration of murine cd4 single positive thymocytes and thymic emigrants

Publication date: March 2014 Source:Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, Volume 9, Issue 15 Author(s): Xi Xu , Qing Ge T lymphopoiesis in the thymus was thought to be completed once they reach the single positive (SP) stage, when they are “fully mature” and wait to be exported at random or follow a “first in-first out” manner. Recently, accumulating evidence has revealed that newly generated SP thymocytes undergo further maturation in the thymic medulla before they follow a tightly regulated emigrating process to become recent thymic emigrants (RTEs). RTEs in the periphery then experience a post-thymic maturation and peripheral tolerance and eventually become licensed as mature naïve T cells. This review summarizes the recent progress in the late stage T cell development in and outside of the thymus. The regulation of this developmental process is also discussed.

Source: Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal - October 12, 2014 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: research