Thymocytes may persist and differentiate without any input from bone marrow progenitors.

ABSTRACT: Thymus transplants can correct deficiencies of the thymus epithelium caused by the complete DiGeorge syndrome or FOXN1 mutations. However, thymus transplants were never used to correct T cell-intrinsic deficiencies because it is generally believed that thymocytes have short intrinsic lifespans. This notion is based on thymus transplantation experiments where it was shown that thymus-resident cells were rapidly replaced by progenitors originating in the bone marrow. In contrast, here we show that neonatal thymi transplanted into interleukin 7 receptor-deficient hosts harbor populations with extensive capacity to self-renew, and maintain continuous thymocyte generation and export. These thymus transplants reconstitute the full diversity of peripheral T cell repertoires one month after surger

SUBMITTER: Peaudecerf L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3420331 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature