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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Characterization of Thymic Settling Progenitors in the Mouse Embryo Using In Vivo and In Vitro Assays
Published on: June 9, 2015
Modulation of T-cell differentiation in murine fetal thymus organ cultures
G A Waanders1, D I Godfrey, R L Boyd
1Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash Medical School, Prahran, Melbourne, Australia.
The effects of IL-1, IL-2, and a panel of monoclonal antibodies to thymic stroma and/or thymocytes, on T-cell differentiation in murine fetal thymus organ cultures were followed. Day-14 fetal thymic lobes were cultured for up to 12 days in the presence of IL-1 and/or IL-2 at concentrations of 100 U/ml. Development of all the major subpopulations defined by CD4 and CD8 expression was inhibited by IL-2, however the degree of inhibition was greatest for CD4+CD8- and CD4+CD8+ subsets. IL-1 alone caused only minor shifts in the subpopulations, but when added together with IL-2 the inhibitory effects of IL-2 were markedly enhanced. Analyses of subsets of CD4-CD8- cells demonstrated that the inhibition was most dramatic at the IL-2R positive and subsequent stages of CD4-CD8- differentiation. Interestingly, the putative precursors of IL-2R+CD4-CD8- increased in the presence of IL-2. In preliminary studies the organ culture system was used to examine the effects of a panel of antibodies to thymocytes and/or thymic stromal cells. Out of 14 antibodies tested, MTS 35 and MTS 37 have caused relative increases in the CD8 and CD4 single-positives, respectively. Both antibodies also induced increases in the percentages of CD4-CD8- cells and decreases in the percentages of CD4+CD8+ cells.
The effects of IL-1, IL-2, and a panel of monoclonal antibodies to thymic stroma and/or thymocytes, on T-cell differentiation in murine fetal thymus organ cultures were followed. Day-14 fetal thymic lobes were cultured for up to 12 days in the presence of IL-1 and/or IL-2 at concentrations of 100 U/ml. Development of all the major subpopulations defined by CD4 and CD8 expression was inhibited by IL-2, however the degree of inhibition was greatest for CD4+CD8- and CD4+CD8+ subsets. IL-1 alone caused only minor shifts in the subpopulations, but when added together with IL-2 the inhibitory effects of IL-2 were markedly enhanced. Analyses of subsets of CD4-CD8- cells demonstrated that the inhibition was most dramatic at the IL-2R positive and subsequent stages of CD4-CD8- differentiation. Interestingly, the putative precursors of IL-2R+CD4-CD8- increased in the presence of IL-2. In preliminary studies the organ culture system was used to examine the effects of a panel of antibodies to thymocytes and/or thymic stromal cells. Out of 14 antibodies tested, MTS 35 and MTS 37 have caused relative increases in the CD8 and CD4 single-positives, respectively. Both antibodies also induced increases in the percentages of CD4-CD8- cells and decreases in the percentages of CD4+CD8+ cells.
