Lymphocyte subsets in human thymus: expression of IgM-Fc receptor by peanut agglutinin positive and negative thymocytes.

The number of cells bearing receptors for the Fc portion of IgM (TM) and IgG (TG) has been evaluated in the human thymus. After overnight incubation the TM cells were 26.2 +/- 2.1% (mean +/- SE) in unfractionated thymus cell suspension, 23.4 +/- 3.8% in peanut agglutinin positive (PNA+) and 32.6 +/- 3.2% in PNA-negative (PNA-) fraction. PNA+ and PNA- fractions mainly consist of cortical and medullary thymocytes, respectively. The presence of TG was negligible. The fine structural features of TM cells from the thymus were very similar to those reported for TM lymphocytes from peripheral blood. In short-term culture a time-dependent increase of TM cells was observed. After 96 h of culture more than 60% of the thymocytes were shown to bear the Fc receptor of IgM. At the same time PNA+ and PNA- fractions expressed about 70% and 42% of TM cells respectively. The number of TG remained negligible. Our data indicate that in the human thymus there exists a distinct, quantitatively well-represented TM subset. Most probably, the peripheral TM cells derive from this subset which is present in both the cortex and the medulla of the thymus. Finally, the higher blastic responses to PHA exhibited by TM cells from PNA-subpopulation suggest that the most advanced intrathymic maturative step is attained by this distinct subset.