Thymocyte emigration is mediated by active movement away from stroma-derived factors

Mark C. Poznansky, Ivona T. Olszak, Richard H. Evans, Zhengyu Wang, Russell B. Foxall, Douglas P. Olson, Kathryn Weibrecht, Andrew D. Luster, David T. Scadden

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

95 Scopus citations

Abstract

T cells leave the thymus at a specific time during differentiation and do not return despite elaboration of known T cell chemoattractants by thymic stroma. We observed differentiation stage-restricted egress of thymocytes from an artificial thymus in which vascular structures or hemodynamics could not have been playing a role. Hypothesizing that active movement of cells away from a thymic product may be responsible, we demonstrated selective reduction in emigration from primary thymus by inhibitors of active movement down a concentration gradient (chemofugetaxis). Immature intrathymic precursors were insensitive to an emigration signal, whereas mature thymocytes and peripheral blood T cells were sensitive. Thymic stroma was noted to elaborate at least two proteins capable of inducing emigration, one of which was stromal cell-derived factor-1. Thymic emigration is mediated, at least in part, by specific fugetaxis-inducing factors to which only mature cells respond.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1101-1110
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation
Volume109
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine(all)

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