Differential distribution of ATPase- and T6-positive cells (Langerhans cells) in the limbus and cornea of Hereford and non-Hereford cattle.
Epithelial sheets from the limbus, cornea, and third eyelid of Hereford and non-Hereford cattle were examined for the presence of Langerhans cells (LC) using the membrane enzyme ATPase as a marker for LC. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that differences in LC density exist between the various ocular epithelia of these animals producing depressed immune surveillance in the case of Hereford cattle. The presence of LC in ocular tissues was confirmed by parallel studies which detected epithelial cells bearing T6, an antigen expressed by human LC. Studies using serial sections demonstrated that T6+ cells also reacted with an anti-human HLA-DR monoclonal antibody. The detection of T6+, DR+ and ATPase+ cells in ocular epithelium in the absence of infiltrating macrophages suggested that LC are present in these tissues. While there were no significant differences in the density of T6+ cells between non-Hereford and Hereford cattle, in the latter ATPase+ cells were significantly fewer in the lateral, medial, and upper limbus.
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases