A STUDY OF THYMIC NURSE CELLS

胸腺滋养细胞（TNC）是特化的上皮成分， 含有完全封闭在胞质内空泡中的T细胞。 非常 关于其功能的信息很少，因为 由于缺乏足够数量的纯跨国公司人口， 分析。 然而，它们被认为在胸腺细胞中起作用， 发展 最近，我们的实验室已经能够使跨国公司永生 SV 40病毒 幸运的是，来自这些TNC系的细胞已经被证明 以维持胸腺细胞的体外内化能力。 此外，本发明还 我们已经证明，只有那些被跨国公司结合并内化的细胞才是 CD 4 + CD 8+胸腺细胞。 这些细胞系将用于确定TNC 在胸腺中的作用。 将采用两种战略：（1a）跨国公司- 将产生特异性单克隆抗体（mAb）， 识别参与结合和内化的受体/配体。 (b)这些抗体将用于从器官中的胸腺中去除TNCs。 文化 用抗TNC特异性抗体处理的A淋巴胸腺将 用双阳性胸腺细胞进行标记。 T细胞的表型 将测定回收的细胞并与胸腺细胞进行比较 从重新接种TNC的相同胸腺中分离，以确定TNC 在胸腺细胞发育中的作用。 这些抗体也将用于 来开发TNC阴性小鼠的体内研究。 (2)抗体制剂 显示阻断胸腺细胞与TNCs的结合将用于克隆 表达相关蛋白质的基因。 这些研究旨在 为了确定胸腺细胞内化的整体功能， 胸腺中的跨国公司。

Thymic nurse cells (TNCs) are specialized epithelial components that contain T cells completely enclosed in intra-cytoplasmic vacuoles. Very little information about their function has been reported because of the lack of pure TNC populations in quantities necessary for their thorough analyses. However, they are believed to play a role in thymocyte development. Recently, our laboratory has been able to immortalize TNCs with SV40 virus. Fortunately, cells from these TNC lines have been shown to maintain thymocyte internalization capabilities in vitro. Further, we have shown that the only cells bound by and internalized into TNCs are CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes. These cell lines will be used to determine TNC function in the thymus. Two strategies will be employed: (1a) TNC- specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) will be generated in an attempt to identify the receptor/ligand involved in binding and internalization. (b) These antibodies will be used to remove TNCs from the thymus in organ culture. A-lymphoid thymi treated with anti-TNC specific antibody will be recolonized with double positive thymocytes. The phenotype of the T cells recovered will be determined and compared to that of thymocytes isolated from identical thymi re-seeded with TNCs to pinpoint TNC function in thymocyte development. These antibodies will also be used to develop TNC-minus mice in vivo studies. (2) Antibody preparations shown to block binding of thymocytes to TNCs will be used to clone the gene(s) expressing the protein(s) involved. These studies are designed to determine the overall function of the thymocyte internalization by TNCs in the thymus.