Generation, isolation, and engraftment of in vitro-derived human T cell progenitors

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:946:103-13. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-128-8_7.

Abstract

T cells typically differentiate via a series of coordinated steps within the highly specialized microenvironment of the thymus. Traditionally, human T-lymphopoiesis in vitro has been studied using the hybrid human/mouse fetal thymic organ culture system. Pioneering work by McCune et al. devised a method to examine human T cell development in vivo in relation to HIV-1 using the SCID/hu (thy/liv) model. This was followed by models that better reflected the ability of human hematopoietic cells to home and differentiate within the mouse host without human fetal tissues; however, human T cell development in these animals was poor. In this chapter, we outline a procedure to generate human progenitor T (proT) cells in vitro from umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells using the OP9-DL1 cell system; in addition, we describe the method used to examine the engraftment of in vitro-derived proT cells into immunodeficient mouse strains.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Separation / methods*
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Liver / cytology
  • Lymphoid Progenitor Cells / cytology*
  • Lymphoid Progenitor Cells / transplantation*
  • Mice
  • Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Stromal Cells / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Umbilical Cord / cytology