Related Experiment Videos
A pituitary factor induces thymic epithelial cell proliferation in vitro.
1Division of Immunopharmacology, University of South Florida Medical College, Tampa 33612.
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Bovine pituitary extracts stimulate human thymic epithelial cell proliferation, suggesting a pituitary-derived factor regulates thymic function. This factor is not epidermal growth factor (EGF).
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human thymic epithelial cells (TEC) are crucial for T-cell development.
- The regulation of TEC proliferation and thymic function is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of bovine pituitary extracts (BPE) on human TEC proliferation.
- To identify potential pituitary-derived factors regulating thymic epithelial cells.
Main Methods:
- Human TEC cultured and characterized for keratin and EGF responsiveness.
- TEC proliferation assessed via cell counts and radioautography.
- Tritiated thymidine incorporation used to measure BPE activity in serum- and EGF-free conditions.
Main Results:
- BPE significantly stimulated TEC proliferation, confirmed by cell counts and radioautography.
- BPE activity was observed in the absence of serum and EGF.
- Individual pituitary hormones did not stimulate TEC proliferation; BPE's effect was not blocked by anti-EGF antibody, indicating it's not EGF.
Conclusions:
- A pituitary-derived factor(s), distinct from EGF, stimulates human TEC proliferation.
- This factor may play a role in regulating thymic function in vivo.
- Further purification of the active factor is ongoing.