title: Ia-positive dendritic cells form a tightly meshed network within the human airway epithelium.
abstract: In this report we have employed an alternative tissue-sectioning procedure which provides a plan view of intra-epithelial cell populations within the airway wall. Immunoperoxidase staining of such sections for class II MHC (Ia) antigen revealed the presence of a highly developed intra-epithelial network of Ia-positive dendritic cells, which was not evident employing conventional cross- or longitudinal tissue sections. This finding has important implications for the study of mechanisms underlying allergic and infectious diseases of the respiratory tract.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Research Unit, Princess Margaret Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schon-Hegrad
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: McMenamin
mesh_terms: D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008867:Microtomy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II