Enrichment for a thymocyte subset having progenitor cell activity using c- kit as a selection marker

摘要

A subpopulation in the CD4.sup.+ 8.sup.+ (DP) thymic blast population is identified that is the precursor for thymic T cells. All such progenitors are c-kit.sup.+. The c-kit.sup.+ subset expresses lower levels of CD4 and CD8 than the large and small DP c-kit- cells. These DP. sup.int c-kit.sup.+ cells differentiate to thymic T cells rapidly on heterogenous thymic stromal cell cultures. Similar maturation takes place in vivo over 4 days. A method for isolating the cells which are c- kit. sup.+ and which express intermediate or low levels of CD4+/CD8+ is also disclosed.