Generation of T-cell function in organ culture of foetal mouse thymus

An in vitro model for the study of T-cell ontogeny is presented. The generation of mitogen responsive thymocytes in embryonic mouse thymus using an organ culture system is described. The pattern of development of mitogen responsiveness in vitro is similar to that seen in vivo except that responses were greater and appeared later in culture than in thymus of a temporally equivalent age in vivo. This suggests that organ culture selectively enriches T-cell activity and thus offers a novel approach to the analysis of T-cell reactivity as well as to the understanding of defects in T-cell development.