Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
Mech Dev. 2002 Dec;119 Suppl 1:S225-9. doi: 10.1016/s0925-4773(03)00121-7.
The maturation of T cells is an intricate process involving the interaction of developing thymocytes with discrete microenvironments within the thymus. Numerous studies have indicated that distinct thymic compartments provide signals required for each stage of thymocyte maturation. In this study we performed a comprehensive analysis of the expression patterns of Eph-A receptors and ephrins-A in the thymus using in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and show that expression of these molecules is highly compartmentalized. Based on these expression patterns and the known mechanisms of action of Eph receptor/ephrin interactions in other organs, these data suggest that differential Eph receptor expression on discrete subsets of thymic stromal cells may be important in establishing compartment boundaries and preventing intermingling of stromal cell subtypes. Further, together with chemotactic signals such as those provided by chemokines, regulated Eph receptor/ephrin expression on thymocytes may play a role in thymocyte migration.
T 细胞的成熟是一个复杂的过程，涉及到胸腺内发育中的胸腺细胞与离散的微环境之间的相互作用。许多研究表明，不同的胸腺隔室提供了胸腺细胞成熟的每个阶段所需的信号。在这项研究中，我们使用原位杂交和逆转录聚合酶链反应对 Eph-A 受体和 Ephrins-A 在胸腺中的表达模式进行了全面分析，并表明这些分子的表达具有高度的分区性。基于这些表达模式和 Eph 受体/ephrin 相互作用在其他器官中的已知作用机制，这些数据表明 Eph 受体在离散的胸腺基质细胞亚群上的差异表达可能对于建立隔室边界和防止基质细胞亚型的混杂很重要。此外，与趋化因子等趋化信号一起，Eph 受体/ephrin 在胸腺细胞上的调节表达可能在胸腺细胞迁移中发挥作用。
