Thymus Cell–Cell Interactions

RANKL stimulates proliferation, adhesion and IL-7 expression of thymic epithelial cells

“…Cyclophosphamide (CY) exhibits a selective suppressive action on various populations and subpopula-tions of lymphoid cells (Turk and Poulter, 1972;Ozer et al, 1982;Zhu et al, 1987). Thus, the application of CY represents a long-established method to induce thymic involution and investigate thymic regeneration (Milicevic et al, 1984;Yoon et al, 1997Yoon et al, , 2003Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004;Lee et al, 2005Lee et al, , 2007. Moreover, CY as well as a number of other agents that induce the acute thymic involution, can be successfully used not only to study the process of regeneration, but also to shed light on the normal thymocytopoiesis, because the changes that occur during the former always mirror the latter process and enable its better understanding (Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004).…”

“…Thus, the application of CY represents a long-established method to induce thymic involution and investigate thymic regeneration (Milicevic et al, 1984;Yoon et al, 1997Yoon et al, , 2003Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004;Lee et al, 2005Lee et al, , 2007. Moreover, CY as well as a number of other agents that induce the acute thymic involution, can be successfully used not only to study the process of regeneration, but also to shed light on the normal thymocytopoiesis, because the changes that occur during the former always mirror the latter process and enable its better understanding (Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004). Of importance, it has been suggested that thymic epithelial cells may play a critical role in thymic regeneration (Milicevic et al, 1984;Yoon et al, 1997Yoon et al, , 2003Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004;Lee et al, , 2007.…”

“…Moreover, CY as well as a number of other agents that induce the acute thymic involution, can be successfully used not only to study the process of regeneration, but also to shed light on the normal thymocytopoiesis, because the changes that occur during the former always mirror the latter process and enable its better understanding (Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004). Of importance, it has been suggested that thymic epithelial cells may play a critical role in thymic regeneration (Milicevic et al, 1984;Yoon et al, 1997Yoon et al, , 2003Milicevic and Milicevic, 2004;Lee et al, , 2007. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying thymus regeneration are still largely unknown.…”

Metallophilic macrophages are lacking in the thymus of lymphotoxin-β receptor-deficient mice

“…Our interest was particularly directed toward a special type of thymic nonlymphocyte cells-thymic metallophilic macrophages-that we carefully studied for many years (Milićević and Milićević 2004). These cells are strategically positioned between the cortex and medulla, forming a distinct row in the corticomedullary zone (CMZ) of the rat thymus, and show a number of characteristic features (Milićević and Milićević 2004).…”

“…These cells are strategically positioned between the cortex and medulla, forming a distinct row in the corticomedullary zone (CMZ) of the rat thymus, and show a number of characteristic features (Milićević and Milićević 2004). In addition to silver impregnation, a variety of other methods may be used for demonstration of metallophilic macrophages in the rat thymus (Milićević and Milićević 2004). On the contrary, in the mouse thymus no other specific methods except silver impregnation are currently available for detection of these cells.…”