Thymic epithelial cells. I. Expression of strong suppressive (veto) activity in mouse thymic epithelial cell cultures

TY - JOUR

T1 - Thymic epithelial cells. I. Expression of strong suppressive (veto) activity in mouse thymic epithelial cell cultures

AU - Claesson, Mogens Helweg

AU - Ropke, C

PY - 1990/12/1

Y1 - 1990/12/1

N2 - We show that thymic epithelial cells grown under serum-free conditions in a chemically defined culture medium can act as veto cells in vitro. The veto activity of thymic epithelial cells results in inactivation of specific alloreactive cytotoxic T-cell precursors at the clonal level. It is concluded that the epithelial stromal cells of the thymus, by acting as veto cells, may be responsible for the negative intrathymic selection of self-reactive thymocytes leading to elimination of the vast majority of immature thymic lymphocytes.

AB - We show that thymic epithelial cells grown under serum-free conditions in a chemically defined culture medium can act as veto cells in vitro. The veto activity of thymic epithelial cells results in inactivation of specific alloreactive cytotoxic T-cell precursors at the clonal level. It is concluded that the epithelial stromal cells of the thymus, by acting as veto cells, may be responsible for the negative intrathymic selection of self-reactive thymocytes leading to elimination of the vast majority of immature thymic lymphocytes.

KW - Animals

KW - Culture Media

KW - Down-Regulation

KW - Epithelium

KW - Female

KW - Histocompatibility Antigens Class I

KW - Immune Tolerance

KW - Isoantigens

KW - Mice

KW - Mice, Inbred BALB C

KW - Mice, Inbred C3H

KW - Mice, Inbred C57BL

KW - T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

KW - Thymus Gland

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 2270438

SN - 0301-6323

VL - 32

SP - 595

EP - 600

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, Supplement

IS - 6

ER -