STUDIES ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THYMUS-DERIVED LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

The development pathway from embryonic thymus-stem cell to peripheral thymus-derived lymphocyte has been demonstrated using the alloantigens θ (theta) and TL as surface markers of cell differentiation. On the basis of cytotoxicity tests carried out on CBA.H or A embryo thymus cultured in diffusion chambers and on CBA.H embryo thymus grafts and peripheral lymphocytes derived from them in AKR hosts, it has been concluded that two differentiation stages take place during the maturation of thymus-derived cells, namely a first step from stem cell to thymocyte and a second step from thymocyte to peripheral lymphocyte.