title: Cytoplasmic localization of FTS (facteur thymique sérique) in thymic epithelial cells. An immunoelectronmicroscopical study.
abstract: This study was concerned with the localization of the facteur thymique sérique (FTS) by immunoelectronmicroscopy in cultured thymic epithelial cells. The FTS antibodies labelled differently sized cytoplasmic vacuoles containing a substance of variable density. This substance occurs occasionally in crystalline structures which reacted strongly with purified FTS antibodies. On the ultrastructural level the FTS-positive cells were demonstrated to fix specifically keratin antibodies and to contain tonofilaments. Some of these cells originated from the thymic medulla proved by the presence of microvilli-forming cytoplasmic vacuoles. The existence of FTS-positive crystalline inclusions confirmed the hypothesis of a storage process in the cytoplasm of thymic epithelial cells in vitro or in pathological conditions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000276:immunology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D013951:Thymus Hormones; D007633:Keratins; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating