Analysis of the chemotactic activities of mouse chemokine MIP-2 to thymocyte subgroups

A mouse chemokine MIP-2 (macrophage inflamatory protein 2) is constitutivel y expressed not only by peritoneal. macrophages, but also by fresh thymic s tromal cells, based on RT-PCR detection. Moreover, the specific receptor of MIP-2 is expressed at different levels among four main subgroups of murine thymocytes including DN, DP, CD4SP and CD8SP. By the chemotaxis assays wit h Boyden chamber, we proved that the recombinant mouse MIP-2 can chemoattra ct the four main subgroups of thymocytes, in different degrees, it mainly c hemoattract the, DP and SP subgroups. We firstly reported that MIP-2 is inv olved in the regulation of the directional migration of developing thymocyt es.