VERPHELD at VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU writes:
>Autoimmune prone MRL/lpr mice have been reported to have deffective Fas genes
>which would presumably alter the negative selection process in the thymus. I
>would like to know if anybody has any thoughtson why this deffective fas gene w
>ould alter T cell development and yet have no effect on other developmental
>processes mediatred through apoptosis.
>************************************************************************
> Daniela I. Verthelyi
> Virgina Tech.
> USA
>VERPHERLD at VTVM1
Induction of apoptosis probably proceeds through any of several pathways,
of which fas-mediated apoptosis is only one.
Many of the downstream apoptosis genes (e.g. bcl-2, bax, etc.) show
tissue-specific expression. It's conceivable that the signalling pathway
in developing lymphocytes is more finely modulated than in other tissues.
Matthew J. Brauer