Setting Up the Perimeter of Tolerance: Insights into mTEC Physiology

Pedro M Rodrigues; Pärt Peterson; Nuno L Alves

doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.11.001

Setting Up the Perimeter of Tolerance: Insights into mTEC Physiology

Trends Immunol. 2018 Jan;39(1):2-5. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2017.11.001. Epub 2017 Nov 24.

Authors

Pedro M Rodrigues¹, Pärt Peterson², Nuno L Alves³

Affiliations

¹ Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Thymus Development and Function Laboratory, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.
² Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
³ Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Thymus Development and Function Laboratory, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: nalves@ibmc.up.pt.

PMID: 29236672
DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2017.11.001

Abstract

Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play a central role in T cell tolerance. However, how the mTEC compartment is maintained remains elusive. We review recent discoveries on new transcription factors involved in mTEC homeostasis and discuss the possibility that their actions might be facilitated by the unique biology of mTECs.

Keywords: medulla; thymic epithelial cells; thymus; tolerance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Differentiation
Epithelial Cells / physiology*
Hematopoiesis
Humans
Immune Tolerance*
Mice
T-Lymphocytes / physiology*
Thymus Gland / physiology*
Transcription Factors / genetics
Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

Transcription Factors