Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Garfin PM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3674705 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Garfin Phillip M PM Min Dullei D Bryson Jerrod L JL Serwold Thomas T Edris Badreddin B Blackburn Clare C CC Richie Ellen R ER Weinberg Kenneth I KI Manley Nancy R NR Sage Julien J Viatour Patrick P
The Journal of experimental medicine 20130513 6
Thymic involution during aging is a major cause of decreased production of T cells and reduced immunity. Here we show that inactivation of Rb family genes in young mice prevents thymic involution and results in an enlarged thymus competent for increased production of naive T cells. This phenotype originates from the expansion of functional thymic epithelial cells (TECs). In RB family mutant TECs, increased activity of E2F transcription factors drives increased expression of Foxn1, a central regu ...[more]