A requirement for sustained ERK signaling during thymocyte positive selection in vivo.

ABSTRACT: It is unknown how the contrasting events of positive and negative selection can lead to the distinct biological outcomes of life or death. An increasing body of evidence suggests that the duration of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling plays a role in thymocyte selection. However, it remains unclear what the kinetics of ERK activation are during positive selection in vivo. In this study, we examined the magnitude and duration of ERK signaling in intact murine thymic tissues cultured under conditions of negative or positive selection. We found that negative selection induced a rapid and robust ERK activation that is associated with death, whereas positive selection stimulated a lower intensity and brief ERK activation that quickly declined and then gradually increased and

SUBMITTER: McNeil LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1224638 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature