| First Author | Almeida FF | Year | 2015 |
| Journal | Sci Rep | Volume | 5 |
| Pages | 12554 | PubMed ID | 26223192 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:253752 | Mgi Id | MGI:6102590 |
| Doi | 10.1038/srep12554 | Citation | Almeida FF, et al. (2015) Identification of a novel lymphoid population in the murine epidermis. Sci Rep 5:12554 |
| abstractText | T cell progenitors are known to arise from the foetal liver in embryos and the bone marrow in adults; however different studies have shown that a pool of T cell progenitors may also exist in the periphery. Here, we identified a lymphoid population resembling peripheral T cell progenitors which transiently seed the epidermis during late embryogenesis in both wild-type and T cell-deficient mice. We named these cells ELCs (Epidermal Lymphoid Cells). ELCs expressed Thy1 and CD2, but lacked CD3 and TCRalphabeta/gammadelta at their surface, reminiscent of the phenotype of extra- or intra- thymic T cell progenitors. Similarly to Dendritic Epidermal T Cells (DETCs), ELCs were radioresistant and capable of self-renewal. However, despite their progenitor-like phenotype and expression of T cell lineage markers within the population, ELCs did not differentiate into conventional T cells or DETCs in in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo differentiation assays. Finally, we show that ELC expressed NK markers and secreted IFN-gamma upon stimulation. Therefore we report the discovery of a unique population of lymphoid cells within the murine epidermis that appears related to NK cells with as-yet-unidentified functions. |
