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Review
. 2023 Apr 1;210(7):888-894.
doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200610.

Investigating Thymic Epithelial Cell Diversity Using Systems Biology

Honyin Chiu  1 , Peter S Linsley  1 , Steven F Ziegler  1
Affiliations
Review

Investigating Thymic Epithelial Cell Diversity Using Systems Biology

Honyin Chiu et al. J Immunol. .

Abstract

The thymus is an intricate organ consisting of a diverse population of thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Cortical and medullary TECs and their subpopulations have distinct roles in coordinating the development and selection of functionally competent and self-tolerant T cells. Recent advances made in technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing have made it possible to investigate and resolve the heterogeneity in TECs. These findings have provided further understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating TEC function and expression of tissue-restricted Ags. In this brief review, we focus on the newly characterized subsets of TECs and their diversity in relation to their functions in supporting T cell development. We also discuss recent discoveries in expression of self-antigens in the context of TEC development as well as the cellular and molecular changes occurring during embryonic development to thymic involution.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Phenotypic markers and pathways in mTEC development.
The mTEC I subset is part of the mTEClo compartment and characterized by CCL21 expression. mTEC II are the classically mature Aire+ mTEChi populations. mTEC III are the post-Aire terminally differentiated mTECs that also are found in the mTEClo compartment and mTEC IV are the newly found tuft-like cells. Additionally, there has been a newly characterized proliferating TAC-TEC subset and whether this subset is a progenitor of mTEC I and mTEC II (18), or mTEC I leads to the TAC-TEC and mTEC II populations (26) requires further study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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