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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Preparation and Applications of Organotypic Thymic Slice Cultures
Published on: August 6, 2016
Microenvironmental regulation of T cell development in the thymus
G Anderson1, B C Harman, K J Hare
1Department of Anatomy, MRC Centre for Immune Regulation Medical School, University of Birmingham, UK. g.anderson@bham.ac.uk
Abstract:
T cell development in the thymus occurs through a series of events beginning with thymic colonization by migrant precursors and ending with the emigration of functionally competent CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to the periphery. It is well accepted that signals through the pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) and alpha-beta TCR (alphabetaTCR) complex play pivotal roles in the maturation of CD4-8- and CD4+8+ thymocytes, respectively. It is clear that stromal cells constituting the thymic microenvironment provide non-TCR-mediated interactions which are essential for several developmental events. Examples of such will be discussed here in relation to early and late events in T cell development.
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