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Clonal characterization of a bipotent T cell and NK cell progenitor in the mouse fetal thymus
A M Michie1, J R Carlyle, T M Schmitt
1Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
We recently described a population of fetal thymocytes with a CD117+NK1.1+CD90lowCD25- phenotype, which were shown to contain committed T cell and NK cell progenitors. However, the characterization of a single cell with a restricted T and NK cell precursor potential was lacking. Here, using an in vitro model for T and NK cell differentiation, we provide conclusive evidence demonstrating the existence of a clonal lineage-restricted T and NK cell progenitor. These results establish that fetal thymocytes with a CD117+NK1.1+CD90lowCD25- phenotype represent bipotent T and NK cell progenitors.
We recently described a population of fetal thymocytes with a CD117+NK1.1+CD90lowCD25- phenotype, which were shown to contain committed T cell and NK cell progenitors. However, the characterization of a single cell with a restricted T and NK cell precursor potential was lacking. Here, using an in vitro model for T and NK cell differentiation, we provide conclusive evidence demonstrating the existence of a clonal lineage-restricted T and NK cell progenitor. These results establish that fetal thymocytes with a CD117+NK1.1+CD90lowCD25- phenotype represent bipotent T and NK cell progenitors.