Delayed maturation of thymic epithelium in mice with specific deletion of β-catenin gene in FoxN1 positive cells.

ABSTRACT: Wnt signalling pathways have been reported to be involved in thymus development but their precise role in the development of both thymic epithelium (TE) and thymocytes is controversial. Herein, we examined embryonic, postnatal and adult thymi of mice with a specific deletion of β-catenin gene in FoxN1⁺ thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Together with a high postnatal mouse mortality, the analysis showed severe thymic hypocellularity, largely due an important reduction in numbers of developing thymocytes, and delayed, partially blocked maturation of mutant TECs. Affected TECs included largely cortical (c) TEC subsets, such as immature MTS20⁺ TECs, Ly51⁺ cTECs and a remarkable, rare Ly51⁺MTS20⁺MHCII^hi cell subpopulation previousl

SUBMITTER: Montero-Herradon S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8550644 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature