An organotypic coculture model supporting proliferation and differentiation of medullary thymic epithelial cells and promiscuous gene expression.

Understanding intrathymic T cell differentiation has been greatly aided by the development of various reductionist in vitro models that mimic certain steps/microenvironments of this complex process. Most models focused on the faithful in vitro restoration of T cell differentiation and selection. In contrast, suitable in vitro models emulating the developmental pathways of the two major thymic epithelial cell lineages--cortical thymic epithelial cells and medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs)--are yet to be developed.

Blood pressure response to exercise of obese and lean hypertensive and normotensive male adolescents.

Blood pressure response to exercise was studied in 100 male adolescents with essential hypertension, aged 13-18 years, during progressive maximal exercise test (Bruce Protocol). None received medication. Thirty of the subjects were obese hypertensive (OH), 30 were lean hypertensive (LH), 10 were obese normotensive (ON) and 30 were lean normotensive (LN).