title: Thymopoietin-like substance in human skin.
abstract: A heterologous antithymopoietin (anti-TP) antibody was used to determine whether a TP-like molecule is present in the epidermis, since such factors have been postulated to play a part in known T cell-epidermal cell interaction. Examination of cytocentrifuge smears of freshly separated human epidermal cells stained by indirect immunofluorescence revealed that 8-14% of these cells possessed cytoplasmic reactivity with the anti-TP antibody. Similarly, 2-5% of human epidermal cells, maintained in tissue culture for 2-8 weeks, showed cytoplasmic staining with the anti-TP antibody. Double-labeling immunofluorescence studies, with the anti-TP antibody and a monoclonal antibody specifically reactive with Langerhans cells (OKT6), demonstrated that cells possessing this TP-like substance were not Langerhans cells. In situ studies of 4-microns frozen sections of normal human skin indicated that the cell population which possesses the TP-like substance is the basal layer of keratincoytes in the epidermis.
mesh_terms: D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology; D013946:Thymopoietins / Q000032:analysis*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D013946:Thymopoietins; D013951:Thymus Hormones