The sequential demonstration of non-specific esterase reactivity Ia antigen and Thy-1 antigen in murine epidermal sheets.
Immunofluorescence demonstrating Ia and Thy-1 antigens and non-specific esterase (NSE) enzyme histochemistry were performed sequentially on sheets of ear epidermis from CBA, C3H.OH, A/J, and Balb/c mice. The same areas of epidermis were photographed after each reaction and individual cells identified and compared. Thy-1+ dendritic cells expressed neither Ia antigen nor NSE reactivity. No cell was found to express Ia antigen or NSE alone: thus all Langerhans cells (LC) in normal murine epidermis appeared to co-express Ia antigen and NSE reactivity. LC expressing greatly increased amounts of Ia antigen were occasionally seen apposed to Thy-1+ cells suggesting that these cells may be immunologically active--perhaps involved in antigen presentation.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000201:enzymology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis*; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D043182:Carboxylesterase