Production and characterization of mouse thymic epithelial cell clones.

Four thymic epithelial cell lines (TEC) were derived from neonatal CBA and non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse thymus. From these cell lines a series of clones were produced by limit dilution and these have remained in stable culture for more than 1 year. Morphological characterization indicates that most cells are stellate with numerous short or long processes and ultrastructural studies show both active and quiescent cells with junctional complexes and bundles of tonofibrils. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analyses show that the cells express cytokeratin and appear to label for markers characteristic of cortical epithelial cells. Most clones express Thy-1, Pgp-1, ICAM-1, HSA and B220 antigen, but are negative for LFA-1, CD2, Mel 14, Fc receptor, Mac-1, CD4 and CD8. All clones express low to moderate levels of class I MHC but are either negative or extremely low for class II MHC antigen. Most clones secrete IL-6 and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) in vitro, but generally do not produce IL-2, IL-3, IL-4 or IFN-gamma.