Untangling the T branch of the hematopoiesis tree

Curr Opin Immunol. 2009 Apr;21(2):121-6. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2009.01.012. Epub 2009 Mar 5.

Abstract

T cells develop in the thymus. Previous work suggested an early separation of lymphoid from myeloerythroid lineages during hematopoiesis and hypothesized the thymus was settled exclusively by lymphoid-restricted hematopoietic progenitors. Recent data have instead established the existence of lymphoid-myeloid progenitors, which possess lymphoid and myeloid lineage potentials but lack erythroid potential. Myeloid and lymphoid potentials are present at the clonal level in early thymic progenitors, confirming that progenitors settling the thymus include lymphoid-myeloid progenitors. These results revise our view of the T lineage branch of hematopoiesis and focus attention on the generation, circulation, and homing of lymphoid-myeloid progenitors to the thymus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Hematopoiesis / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / cytology
  • Thymus Gland / immunology*