title: The effect of aging on the density and distribution of oral mucosal Langerhans cells.
abstract: Previous studies localizing the Langerhans cells in the hamster cheek pouch by ATPase staining have shown these cells to be distributed in a nonrandom pattern. The Langerhans cells have been found in both focal and interfocal arrangements. In this study we utilized two groups, Group 1 (six animals), was 5-6 weeks old, and Group 2 (six animals), was 78-80 weeks old. The Langerhans cells were stained for ATPase, following the epidermal stripping of the cheek pouch with 1% glacial acetic acid. The number of Langerhans was statistically decreased interfocally and there was a decrease in the number of focal aggregations, while there was a concomitant increase in the number of Langerhans cells in each unit. These alterations in the density and distribution of the Langerhans cells may suggest a lowering of the immune response, and increase susceptibility to irritants and carcinogenic agents in the oral cavity.
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases