Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 2, Issue 3, June 1960, Pages 271-284
Developmental Biology

Morphogenetic interactions in the development of the mouse thymus gland

https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-1606(60)90009-9Get rights and content

Abstract

  • 1.

    1. Morphogenesis of 12-day mouse embryo thymus glands has been analyzed by in vitro and transplantation methods.

  • 2.

    2. At a glass-clot interface the gland grows and undergoes characteristic lobulation, but remains predominantly epithelial. In transplants to the anterior chamber of adult mouse eyes it grows profusely and becomes lymphoidal.

  • 3.

    3. The gland may be separated into epithelial and mesenchymal portions by the use of trypsin. Neither component can develop in isolation, in vitro or in vivo, but clustering of the two tissues leads to the restoration of the morphogenetic system, with resultant in vitro lobulation and the in vivo formation of lymphoidal tissue.

  • 4.

    4. Mesenchyme from a variety of embryonic rudiments can exert a morphogenetic effect in vitro, the specific pattern of the epithelial response varying with the source of mesenchyme used. The mesenchymal influence can be exerted across a 20 μ millipore filter barrier.

References (19)

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Supported in part by research grant C-3985 from the National Institutes of Health, and by an institutional grant from the American Cancer Society.

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With the technical assistance of William D. Ball.

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