Dumont F
Immunology. 1978 May;34(5):841-52.
Thymocytes from adult C3H mice were fractionated on the basis of electrophoretic mobility (EPM) differences by free-flow electrophoresis and the fractions obtained were analysed for size distribution with a Coulter Counter. The data were combined in the form of contour maps (fingerprints) representative of the various physical types of thymocytes. Four thymocyte subpopulations with distinct physical properties were thus characterized and were further shown to differ in their sensitivity to immunosuppressive drugs and in their proliferation rate. Th cells possess the slowest EPM and smallest volume (95 μm), are sensitive to cortisone (C) but resistant to cyclophosphamide (Cy) and do not incorporate [H]-thymidine (TdR) . Th cells possess higher EPM and slightly larger volume (103 μm) and are sensitive to both C and Cy. Th cells are of still higher EPM, exhibit the largest volume (150–250 μm) of all thymocytes, are sensitive to C and Cy and rapidly incorporate [H]-TdR . Th cells are endowed with fastest EPM and a modal volume of 130 μm and are resistant to both C and Cy. The regeneration and fate of these subpopulations were investigated during the period subsequent to cortisone injection. Th cells were the first to reappear on day 4–6 following treatment. Thereafter, Th and Th cells began to rise again and eventually reached levels higher than control by day 12–14 post-treatment. By the same time, Th cells, which escaped cortisone lympholytic action became less and less visible on the fingerprint. In fact, administration of a second dose of cortisone by day 8–10 after the first treatment revealed a depletion as well as a physical modification of the C-resistant cell pool. Typical Th cells were found again on day 15 after the first cortisone injection. It was only around day 20 that thymus became normally repopulated. Taken together, these observations indicate that Th cells may act as precursors for all 3 other thymocyte subpopulations and that during thymus reconstitution Th and Th cells are produced at a faster rate than are Th cells.
通过自由流动电泳，根据成年C3H小鼠胸腺细胞的电泳迁移率（EPM）差异对其进行分级分离，并用库尔特计数器分析所获得的级分的大小分布。数据以代表各种物理类型胸腺细胞的等高线图（指纹图）形式汇总。由此鉴定出具有不同物理特性的四个胸腺细胞亚群，并进一步表明它们对免疫抑制药物的敏感性和增殖速率存在差异。Th细胞的EPM最慢，体积最小（95μm），对可的松（C）敏感，但对环磷酰胺（Cy）有抗性，且不掺入[H]-胸腺嘧啶核苷（TdR）。Th细胞具有较高的EPM和稍大的体积（103μm），对C和Cy均敏感。Th细胞的EPM更高，在所有胸腺细胞中体积最大（150 - 250μm），对C和Cy敏感，并能快速掺入[H]-TdR。Th细胞的EPM最快，众数体积为130μm，对C和Cy均有抗性。在注射可的松后的一段时间内研究了这些亚群的再生和命运。Th细胞是治疗后第4 - 6天最早重新出现的。此后，Th和Th细胞开始再次上升，最终在治疗后第12 - 14天达到高于对照的水平。与此同时，逃避可的松溶淋巴细胞作用的Th细胞在指纹图上变得越来越不明显。事实上，在第一次治疗后第8 - 10天给予第二剂可的松显示，抗C细胞池出现耗竭以及物理改变。在第一次注射可的松后第15天再次发现典型的Th细胞。直到大约第20天胸腺才恢复正常细胞填充。综上所述，这些观察结果表明Th细胞可能是所有其他3个胸腺细胞亚群的前体，并且在胸腺重建过程中，Th和Th细胞的产生速度比Th细胞快。
