Molecular analysis of a pro‐T cell clone transformed by Abelson‐murine leukemia virus, displaying progressive γδ T cell receptor gene rearrangement and surface expression

We present a molecular analysis of T cell differentiation in a set of clones derived from in vitro Abelson murine leukemia virus (A‐MuLV) infection of fetal liver cells. The parental clone had partial rearrangement of the β and γ loci and spontaneously displayed progressive rearrangement of V_γ genes during in vitro culture. Further differentiation of these clones leading to δ gene rearrangement and CD4 expression, then CD8, CD3 and T cell receptor γδ chain surface expression was obtained after intrathymic transfer followed by in vitro co‐culture with thymic tissue. These A‐MuLV clones, therefore, appear to represent a powerful model sytem for studying the early molecular events of T cell development at the clonal level.