Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Characterization of Thymic Settling Progenitors in the Mouse Embryo Using In Vivo and In Vitro Assays
Published on: June 9, 2015
Generation of functional thymocytes in the human adult
B D Jamieson1, D C Douek, S Killian
1Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California 90095-1678, USA. bjamieso@ucla.edu
Abstract:
Reconstituting the immune response will be critical for the survival of HIV-infected individuals once viral load is brought under control. While the adult thymus was previously thought to be relatively inactive, new data suggest it may play a role in T cell reconstitution. We examined thymopoiesis in adults up to 56 years of age and found active T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement, generating a diverse TCR Vbeta repertoire. The resulting thymocytes are functional and are capable of responding to costimulatory signals. These data demonstrate that the adult thymus remains active late in life and contributes functional T cells to the peripheral lymphoid pool.
Related Concept Videos
Primary Lymphoid Organs
The red bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue nestled in the interior of long bones such as the humerus and femur. It is the site...
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...

