Expression of cytoplasmic antigens linked to orthokeratosis during the development of parakeratosis in newborn mouse tail epidermis.
An unusual example of two different types of epidermal differentiation occurs side by side in adult mouse tail. The neonate shows only orthokeratotic differentiation, but develops parakeratotic scales in precise patterns over the first two weeks of life, retaining orthokeratotic differentiation at the necks of hair follicles. Certain human IgG antibodies from patients receiving bone marrow transplants bind only to cytoplasmic components of orthokeratotic epithelium. As markers of orthokeratotic differentiation in indirect immunofluorescent studies, these antibodies allowed the timing and location of the change in epidermal differentiation. A specific loss of 'orthokertotic' antigens in the natural switch from orthokeratosis to parakeratosis was demonstrated. The sequence of the orthokeratotic antigens disappearance suggested that the switch to parakeratotic differentiation occurred at a supra-basal level.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007633:Keratins; D051379:Mice; D013623:Tail
D000941:Antigens; D007633:Keratins