Induction of T-cells differentiation in vitro by thymus epithelial cells.

Thymus-reticular epithelial cells (TE-cells) were grown in a cell culture devoid of any lymphocytic elements. These cells were able to induce T-cell differentiation in spleen cells from T-dificient mice as expressed by con-A responsiveness and GvH reactivity. It was also shown that xenogeneic rat TE cells were as effective in the induction of T-cell differentiation in vitro as syngeneic TE cells. This system is therefore ideal for the study of T-cell development.