Synchronized Rearrangement of T-Cell $\gamma $ and $\beta $ Chain Genes in Fetal Thymocyte Development

Kinetics of mouse T-cell $\gamma $ gene rearrangements in ontogeny were determined as an approach to understanding the possible role of these genes in the development of fetal thymocytes. Two of these genes (C$\gamma $1 and C$\gamma $2) rearranged rapidly during days 14 to 17 of the gestational peri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1986-10, Vol.234 (4775), p.479-482
Main Authors: Born, Willi, Rathbun, Gary, Tucker, Philip, Marrack, Philippa, Kappler, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Alleles
Animals
B lymphocytes
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Differentiation
Cloning, Molecular
DNA Restriction Enzymes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Genes
Genetic aspects
Genetic research
Germ cells
Hybridomas
Hybridomas - physiology
Immunobiology
Innovations
Kinetics
Lymphoid cells: ontogeny, maturation, markers, receptors, circulation and recirculation
Mice
Ontogeny
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - genetics
Recombination, Genetic
T cell antigen receptors
T cells
T lymphocytes
T-Lymphocytes - cytology
T-Lymphocytes - physiology
Thymocytes
Thymus
Thymus gland
Thymus Gland - embryology
Thymus Gland - physiology
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Summary:Kinetics of mouse T-cell $\gamma $ gene rearrangements in ontogeny were determined as an approach to understanding the possible role of these genes in the development of fetal thymocytes. Two of these genes (C$\gamma $1 and C$\gamma $2) rearranged rapidly during days 14 to 17 of the gestational period in BALB/c mice. Moreover, these rearrangements seemed to be tightly synchronized with rearrangements of T-cell receptor $\beta $ chain genes in the same cells. It is suggested that the early transcriptional activity of $\gamma $ genes, which precedes that of $\beta $ chain genes, may not reflect the functional activation of these genes. Nevertheless, productive and therefore potentially functional $\gamma $ gene rearrangements precede surface expression of T-cell receptors in the thymus by 2 to 3 days, which is compatible with a role for $\gamma $ gene products in thymocyte development prior to antigen-specific stages.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.3020688