TY - JOUR
T1 - Thymic stromal cells
T2 - Roles in atrophy and age-associated dysfunction of the thymus
AU - Cepeda, Sergio
AU - Griffith, Ann V.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Dr. Howard Petrie for helpful discussions. A.V.G. is supported by NIH R01AI121367 , and S.C. is supported by NIH R01AI121367-S .
PY - 2018/5
Y1 - 2018/5
N2 - Atrophy of the thymus, the primary site of T lymphocyte generation, is a hallmark of the aging immune system. Age-associated thymic atrophy results in diminished output of new, naïve T cells, with immune sequelae that include diminished responses to novel pathogenic challenge and vaccines, as well as diminished tumor surveillance. Although a variety of stimuli are known to regulate transient thymic atrophy, mechanisms governing progressive age-associated atrophy have been difficult to resolve. This has been due in part to the fact that one of the primary targets of age-associated thymic atrophy is a relatively rare population, thymic stromal cells. This review focuses on changes in thymic stromal cells during aging and on the contributions of periodic, stochastic, and progressive causes of thymic atrophy.
AB - Atrophy of the thymus, the primary site of T lymphocyte generation, is a hallmark of the aging immune system. Age-associated thymic atrophy results in diminished output of new, naïve T cells, with immune sequelae that include diminished responses to novel pathogenic challenge and vaccines, as well as diminished tumor surveillance. Although a variety of stimuli are known to regulate transient thymic atrophy, mechanisms governing progressive age-associated atrophy have been difficult to resolve. This has been due in part to the fact that one of the primary targets of age-associated thymic atrophy is a relatively rare population, thymic stromal cells. This review focuses on changes in thymic stromal cells during aging and on the contributions of periodic, stochastic, and progressive causes of thymic atrophy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85039942870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85039942870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.exger.2017.12.022
DO - 10.1016/j.exger.2017.12.022
M3 - Review article
C2 - 29278750
AN - SCOPUS:85039942870
VL - 105
SP - 113
EP - 117
JO - Experimental Gerontology
JF - Experimental Gerontology
SN - 0531-5565
ER -