Development and developmental potential of cortical thymic epithelial cells.
The thymic cortex provides a microenvironment for the development and positive selection of immature T cells. Cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs), which structurally and functionally support the thymic cortical microenvironment, originate from endodermal epithelial progenitors that arise in the third pharyngeal pouch. Recent studies have revealed that thymic epithelial progenitors pass through a stage where the cells express cTEC-associated molecules prior to lineage separation into cTECs and medullary TECs (mTECs). Here, we review the molecular signatures of cTECs and highlight the development and developmental potential of cTECs.
['Ohigashi|Izumi|I|', 'Kozai|Mina|M|', 'Takahama|Yousuke|Y|']
D000818:Animals D002454:Cell Differentiation D060833:Cellular Microenvironment D060966:Clonal Selection, Antigen-Mediated D004847:Epithelial Cells D006801:Humans D007108:Immune Tolerance D013601:T-Lymphocytes D013950:Thymus Gland
cortical thymic epithelial cell cortex positive selection thymic epithelial progenitor thymus