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. 1990 Dec 1;172(6):1873–1876. doi: 10.1084/jem.172.6.1873

Fibroblasts mediate T cell survival: a proposed mechanism for retention of primed T cells

PMCID: PMC2188771  PMID: 2258711

Abstract

This report describes a salvage pathway whereby activated T lymphocytes revert to nonproliferating cells in the absence of antigen or mitogenic signals. After the removal of mitogenic cytokines, cultured T lymphocytes cease dividing and rapidly begin to undergo cell death. However, the addition of fibroblasts to interleukin 2 (IL-2)-propagated T cells results in prolonged survival of the previously activated T lymphocytes in the absence of proliferation. The prevention of cell death is also achieved by conditioned medium from the fibroblasts. T lymphocytes cultured with fibroblasts or the conditioned medium retain the ability to be restimulated if mitogenic stimuli are added to the culture. The activity is not accounted for by IL-1-7. The studies suggest a stromal cell-mediated, nonspecific mechanism for survival of primed T lymphocytes in a nonproliferating state.

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Selected References

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