Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6006
pubmed:dateCreated
1985-4-19
pubmed:abstractText
In contrast to B cells or their antibody products, T lymphocytes have a dual specificity, for both the eliciting foreign antigen and for polymorphic determinants on cell surface glycoproteins encoded in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC restriction). The recent identification of T-cell receptor glycoproteins as well as the genes encoding T-cell receptor subunits will help to elucidate whether MHC proteins and foreign antigens are recognized by two T-cell receptors or by a single receptor. An important feature of MHC restriction is that it appears to be largely acquired by a differentiating T-cell population under the influence of MHC antigens expressed in the thymus, suggesting that precursor T cells are selected on the basis of their reactivity with MHC determinants expressed in the host thymus. To understand this process of 'thymus education', knowledge of the developmental regulation of T-cell receptor gene expression is necessary. Here we report that whereas messenger RNAs encoding the beta-and gamma-subunits are relatively abundant in immature thymocytes, alpha mRNA levels are very low. Interestingly, whereas alpha mRNA levels increase during further development and beta mRNA levels stay roughly constant, gamma mRNA falls to very low levels in mature T cells, suggesting a role for the gamma gene in T-cell differentiation.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
314
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
103-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:articleTitle
Developmental regulation of T-cell receptor gene expression.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't