The distribution of blood group antigens in rodent epithelia.
The pattern of distribution of antigens cross-reacting with antibodies to human blood group antigens A and B and two precursor molecules was examined by immunofluorescence in the epidermis, oral mucosa and forestomach of rats and mice. Staining for blood group antigen A was negative. In all epithelia examined, blood group antigen B was present at the surface of basal and parabasal cells, and the H antigen at the surface of spinous cells. N-acetyllactosamine was present on the cell membranes in the upper spinous and granular cell layers of epidermis and forestomach epithelium and was not expressed in the oral epithelia except for a limited area in the dorsal tongue epithelium. Thus, the expression of antigen varies both regionally and, as earlier shown in human epithelium, with the stage of maturation of cells within a given epithelium. The observed sequence of expression of these antigens during maturation differs from that of human epithelia, but the present study provides a basis for further experimental studies of the role of cell surface antigens in epithelial homeostasis and maturation.
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D000939:Epitopes; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000939:Epitopes