The blood–thymus barrier regulates exchange of substances between the circulatory system and thymus, providing a sequestered environment for immature T cells to develop. The barrier also prevents the immature T cells from contacting foreign antigens (since contact with antigens at this stage will cause the T cells to die by apoptosis).

The barrier is formed by the continuous blood capillaries in the thymic cortex, reinforced by type 1 epithelial reticular cells (sometimes called thymic epithelial cells) and macrophages.

The existence of this barrier was first proposed in 1961 and demonstrated to exist in mice in 1963. [1]

References

  1. ↑ Ribatti, Domenico (December 2015). "The discovery of the blood–thymus barrier". Immunology Letters. 168 (2): 325–328. doi:10.1016/j.imlet.2015.10.014. PMID 26522647.

See also

  • Blood–air barrier – Membrane separating alveolar air from blood in lung capillaries
  • Blood–brain barrier – Semipermeable capillary border that allows selective passage of blood constituents into the brain
  • Blood–ocular barrier – Physical barrier between the local blood vessels and most parts of the eye itself
  • Blood–retinal barrier – Part of the blood–ocular barrier that prevents certain substances from entering the retina
  • Blood–testis barrier – A physical barrier between the blood vessels and the seminiferous tubules of the animal testes
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