Role of the thymus in the control of growth and differentiation of TCGF-sensitive natural killer (NK) cells
Riccardi, C.; Migliorati, G.; Giampietri, A.; Frati, L.; Herberman, B.
International Journal of Tissue Reactions 6(5): 401-408
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-0868 PMID: 6335142 Document Number: 226759
We analysed the phenotypic characteristics of mouse NK cells susceptible to boosting activity by T-cell-growth-factor (TCGF) and the characteristics of NK-cell progenitors able to grow in vitro in the presence of TCGF. Our data show that while both the above-mentioned cell populations are Asialo GM-1+, they differ in the expression of Thy 1 alloantigen. In addition, we also analysed the possible regulatory mechanisms capable of influencing the growth of TCGF-sensitive NK-cell progenitors. The data here reported suggest that the growth capability of NK cell progenitors is under the control of the thymus.