Journal Article

Fetal Thymic Organ Culture in Rotating Bioreactors

Bianca Tabourn, Spain, Lisa M.

1999

Overview

The task of the thymus is to support the differentiation of T cells whose T cell receptors (TCRs) interact with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins (positive selection), and to eliminate by deletion any T cells bearing autoreactive TCRs (negative selection). Our understanding of the mechanism of thymic function has been greatly enhanced by the development of a technique for in vitro culture of intact thymus, so-called fetal thymic organ cultures. The use of fetal thymic organ cultures has established the role of peptides in negative and positive selection, the role of signaling pathways in T cell development, the cellular basis of T cell development and selection and the enumeration and characterization of T cell progenitors. Thymic organ culture also has clinical application in the removal of resident thymocytes before thymic organ transplantation for DiGeorge anomaly patients. The experiments described here have multiple goals. First, we have investigated the ability of rotating wall bioreactors to support T cell development in thymic organ culture. In addition, we have investigated whether gravity vector randomization, as occurs in the rotating bioreactor, has any effect on the kinetics and extent of T cell development in thymus explants.

• Publisher: Society for In Vitro Biology
• Subject: Animals / Bioreactors / Cell lines / Cultured cells / Liquids / Mice / Microgravity / Organ Culture Techniques / Rotating liquids / Rotation / Scientific Reports / T lymphocytes / T-Lymphocytes - physiology / Thymocytes / Thymus Gland - embryology