What is it that leads cells to differentiate into T cells?

Every cell in our body has its own fate. They may become skin cells or perhaps other types of cells, and all these are determined by genes. Scientists from California Institute of Technology have further studied the differentiation of T cells. T-lymphocytes are cells secreted by thymus can swallow the virus-infected cells. Similar to using T cell transformation to promote recombinant proteins such as recombinant horse proteins and recombinant dog proteins, the researchers hope to be able to figure out what leads cells to differentiate into T cells.

The study was published in Nature Immunology on July 4th. The lead author and postdoctoral at the school Hao Yuan Kueh said, "We have already known which kind of genes that control cells' differentiation into T cells, but we want to know what original factors are that make this gene play a role."

They found a group of DNA-binding proteins which contains four proteins and they controlled the opening and closing of T cell genes by overlapping layers. This finding is really a great breakthrough, because in the past, our conception of the role of transcription factors is instantaneous. The study could help doctors get a lot of T cells, which has great application significance to viral infectious diseases including AIDS.

Laboratory staff Kueh said, "In the past, we know that the regulation of genes needs the involvement of a variety of transcription factors, and so it is also the same with T cell differentiation. Multifarious transcription factors can ensure that the right expression of cells."

The authors pointed out that the key of this finding is the real-time video of living cells. They used genetically-engineered mice to conduct fluorescence detection on proteins. The transgenic mice were introduced with Bcl11b genes. When this kind of genes is activated, tissues of mice would shine. Through detection of different transcription factors and proteins, the researchers can distinguish the role of different proteins.

These four proteins together play a role in the process of opening the genes, of which the first two proteins (TCF1 and GATA3) opened the door, Notch protein switched the switch and the fourth protein Runx1 amplified the signal. Flarebio is a biotech company which is specialized in research, production and sales of recombinant proteins (including recombinant KEL) and antibodies and other related products.