Characterization of Tg8 cells.

<p><b>A</b>) Pre-tumoral Tg8 and WT thymus have similar distribution of the major lymphocyte populations (DN, DP, CD4 SP and CD8 SP). Representative of more than 20 mice. <b>B</b>) Surface DLL4 staining of the major thymic populations shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084841#pone-0084841-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1F</a> (left) and mRNA level of Dll4 in DN, DP and SP thymocytes calculated by real-time PCR (right). <b>C</b>) Pre-tumoral spleens from Tg8 mice accumulate CD4⁺CD8⁺ DP cells. Shown are representative spleens from 4 week-old Tg8 and WT mice. <b>D</b>) Normal splenic architecture in pre-tumoral 3 week-old Tg8 mice. Low power resolution confocal images of Tg8 (top) and WT (bottom) frozen spleen sections. The white pulp can be identified by T cell staining (anti-CD4 and anti-CD8) and B cell staining (anti-B220), and the surrounding red pulp appears in dark. White bar = 100 μm. <b>E</b>) High power resolution of the PALS area of the spleen. Arrowheads point to some of the DP cells. White bar = 6.25μm. <b>F</b>) Peripheral T cells in Tg8 mice, but not WT mice, express surface DLL4. CD4 SP, CD8 SP and DP cells, gated as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084841#pone-0084841-g002" target="_blank">Figure 2C)</a>, were stained with anti-DLL4. Representative of more than 20 mice.