Thymic Fibroblasts (TF)

Fibroblasts have been extensively used for a wide range of cellular and molecular studies as they are one of easiest types of cells to grow in culture. Their durability also makes them amenable to a variety of manipulations ranging from studies employing gene transfection to microinjection. In general, fibroblasts secrete a non-rigid extracellular matrix  which is rich in type I and/or type III collagen . There is evidence showing that fibroblasts in various organs are intrinsically different. The thymic fibroblasts (TF) are derived from the embryonic neural crest, which first surrounds the thymus as mesenchyme and later migrates into the thymic epithelium to form a network of fibroblasts. Thymic fibroblasts and the associated extracellular matrix have been shown to be responsible for normal thymus morphogenesis and lymphopoiesis.