A novel CD3‐ J11d+ subset of CD4+CD8‐ cells repopulating thymus in radiation bone marrow chimeras

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Abstract
Sequential appearance of T cell subpopulations occurs in the thymus of irradiated AKR (H‐2k, Thy‐1.1) mice at an early stage after transplantation with bone marrow cells of C3H/HeN (H‐2k, Thy‐1.2) mice. The donor‐derived thymocytes were first detected on day 8 after bone marrow reconstitution. Although most of the thymocytes were CD4‐CD8‐ cells, an appreciable level of CD4+CD8+ cells was detected in the thymus at this stage. The early appearing CD4+CD8‐ cells were a novel subset of thymocytes that were J11d+CD3‐. From day 10 to day 21 the proportion of CD4+CD8‐CD3‐J11d+ cells decreased while the proportion of CD4+CD8‐ cells and CD4+CD8‐CD3+J11d‐ cells increased. The CD4+CD8‐CD3‐ cells seem to diversify to form CD4+CD8+ thymocytes after short‐term culture in vitro. These results suggested the existence of a differential pathway from CD4‐CD8‐ cells to CD4+CD8+ cells via CD4+CD8‐ cells in the thymus.