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Effects Of Thymus Size And Involution On The Contribution Of Recent Thymic Emigrants To The Peripheral T Cell Pool, Michelle L. Bolner
Effects Of Thymus Size And Involution On The Contribution Of Recent Thymic Emigrants To The Peripheral T Cell Pool, Michelle L. Bolner
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
The contribution of recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) to the peripheral naïve T cell population is necessary to maintain diversity of the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and produce immune responses against newly encountered antigens.
The thymus involutes with age, after irradiation or chemotherapy, and due to severe viral infections. Thymus involution results in decreased thymopoiesis and RTE output leading to a reduced diversity of peripheral T cells. This increases susceptibility to disease and impairs immune responsiveness to vaccines. Therefore, studies aimed at maintaining or regenerating thymic function are integral for maintaining and restoring peripheral TCR diversity.
Mice that express a …