Highly efficient selection of CD4 and CD8 lineage thymocytes supports an instructive model of lineage commitment

Immunity. 2000 Apr;12(4):383-9. doi: 10.1016/s1074-7613(00)80190-9.

Abstract

We undertook a kinetic analysis of the generation of mature T cells in TCR and coreceptor transgenic mice using BrdU labeling. We observed that the selection efficiency of mature CD4-CD8+ and CD4+CD8- thymocytes could be as high as 40% and 90% of CD4+CD8+ precursors, respectively. The surprisingly high efficiency of selection favors an instructional model of lineage commitment and is incompatible with a stochastic model in which the efficiency of selection would be no greater than 100% in both lineages combined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • CD8 Antigens / genetics
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Lineage*
  • Clonal Deletion / physiology*
  • DNA Replication
  • Lymphocyte Count
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Immunological*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Thymus Gland / cytology*
  • Thymus Gland / immunology

Substances

  • CD8 Antigens
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell