Biomaterial Database

Intrathymic ontogeny of the T cell receptor associated CD3 (T3) antigen. 1988

S H Swerdlow, and P A Angermeier, and A L Hartman

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Intrathymic T cell maturation has been studied in great detail, yet much of this process remains controversial. One of the critical steps in thymocyte maturation is the surface expression of the T cell antigen receptor associated CD3 (T3) antigen. The expression and ultrastructural localization of this antigen was therefore studied in tissue sections of five human thymuses using the monoclonal antibody UCHT-1. Thymocytes were also independently categorized morphologically as small nonblastic, large blastic, or intermediate. CD3 positivity was identified in 89% of cortical thymocytes and 92% of medullary thymocytes. Of the CD3+ cells, staining was present in the perinuclear region in 48% of cortical thymocytes and in only 11% of medullary thymocytes. Surface membrane staining was present in 87% of CD3+ cortical thymocytes and 99% of CD3+ medullary thymocytes. Of the CD3+ cortical large blastic thymocytes, 97% had perinuclear staining, but only 31% had surface positivity. Conversely, 98% of CD3+ medullary large blastic thymocytes had surface staining, but only 17% had perinuclear positivity. Almost all cortical and medullary small nonblastic thymocytes had surface membrane CD3 positivity, whereas perinuclear positivity was rare in these cells. These data suggest that the most immature CD3+ thymocytes (the large blasts with perinuclear CD3 positivity only) are present almost exclusively in the cortex. Maturation defined by the loss of perinuclear CD3 positivity and the acquisition of surface CD3 also occurs in the cortex. The vast majority of medullary thymocytes have surface CD3 positivity only.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D011948	Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell	Molecules on the surface of T-lymphocytes that recognize and combine with antigens. The receptors are non-covalently associated with a complex of several polypeptides collectively called CD3 antigens (CD3 COMPLEX). Recognition of foreign antigen and the major histocompatibility complex is accomplished by a single heterodimeric antigen-receptor structure, composed of either alpha-beta (RECEPTORS, ANTIGEN, T-CELL, ALPHA-BETA) or gamma-delta (RECEPTORS, ANTIGEN, T-CELL, GAMMA-DELTA) chains.	Antigen Receptors, T-Cell,T-Cell Receptors,Receptors, T-Cell Antigen,T-Cell Antigen Receptor,T-Cell Receptor,Antigen Receptor, T-Cell,Antigen Receptors, T Cell,Receptor, T-Cell,Receptor, T-Cell Antigen,Receptors, T Cell Antigen,Receptors, T-Cell,T Cell Antigen Receptor,T Cell Receptor,T Cell Receptors,T-Cell Antigen Receptors
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000911	Antibodies, Monoclonal	Antibodies produced by a single clone of cells.	Monoclonal Antibodies,Monoclonal Antibody,Antibody, Monoclonal
D000939	Epitopes	Sites on an antigen that interact with specific antibodies.	Antigenic Determinant,Antigenic Determinants,Antigenic Specificity,Epitope,Determinant, Antigenic,Determinants, Antigenic,Specificity, Antigenic
D000945	Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte	Antigens expressed on the cell membrane of T-lymphocytes during differentiation, activation, and normal and neoplastic transformation. Their phenotypic characterization is important in differential diagnosis and studies of thymic ontogeny and T-cell function.	Antigens, Differentiation, T-Cell,Differentiation Antigens, T-Cell,L3T4 Antigens,Leu Antigens, T-Lymphocyte,T-Cell Differentiation Antigens,T-Lymphocyte Differentiation Antigens,T6 Antigens,Antigens, Differentiation, T Lymphocyte,Differentiation Antigens, T Lymphocyte,Antigens, L3T4,Antigens, T-Cell Differentiation,Antigens, T-Lymphocyte Differentiation,Antigens, T-Lymphocyte Leu,Antigens, T6,Differentiation Antigens, T Cell,Differentiation Antigens, T-Lymphocyte,Leu Antigens, T Lymphocyte,T Cell Differentiation Antigens,T Lymphocyte Differentiation Antigens,T-Lymphocyte Leu Antigens