Maturation and emigration of single-positive thymocytes.
Clin Dev Immunol 2013;
2013:282870. [PMID:
24187562 PMCID:
PMC3804360 DOI:
10.1155/2013/282870]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
T lymphopoiesis in the thymus was thought to be completed once it reaches the single positive (SP)
stage, a stage when T cells are “fully mature” and waiting to be exported at random or follow a “first-in-first-out” manner. Recent evidence, however, has revealed that the newly generated SP thymocytes undergo a multistage maturation program in the thymic medulla. Such maturation is followed by a tightly regulated emigration process and a further postthymic maturation of recent thymic emigrants (RTEs). This review summarizes recent progress in the late stage T cell development. The regulation of this developmental process is discussed.
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