- Homozygous mice exhibit total inability to initiate V(D)J rearrangement and fail to generate mature T or B lymphocytes. Otherwise, the Rag2 mouse has apparently normal hematopoiesis.
- The H-Y transgene results in a large fraction of T cells expressing a T cell receptor specific for a minor histocompatibility antigen (H-Y) which is present on male but not female cells in the context of MHC Class I (H-2Db). On a B6.SJL background (H2Db), thymocytes are severely depleted in male HY mice but develop into CD8 single positive T cells in female HY mice. These mice carry an H2b haplotype which is a positive selecting background for conventional T cells. Therefore the male HY transgenic mice are severely depleted of thymocytes because of deletion due to recognition of HY/H-2Db but not female HY transgenic mice.
- These mice can be useful for studying mechanisms of self-tolerance and lineage commitment and the role of CD4 and CD 8 molecules in the deletion process of autospecific cells.
Genetic Background:
C57BL/6 Origin:
The original HY microinjected mice were created in 1988 at the von Boehmer Lab at the Basel Institute for Immunology. The HY line was eventually intercrossed to an outbred Rag2 line from the Alt Lab by Dr. S. Koyasu at the Reinherz Lab. The resulting Rag2/HY mice were backcrossed to the B6.SJL/BoCr strain for seven generations and then intracrossed and selected for homozygosity of Rag2. Color:
Black Species:
Mouse
