Intra-epithelial lymphocytes in the normal epididymis. A mechanism for tolerance to sperm auto-antigens?
Using a monoclonal immunoperoxidase technique on frozen tissue sections of normal testis and epididymis, a distinctive distribution of lymphocytes has been identified. Almost all of the intra-epithelial lymphocytes were T cells and the majority of these belonged to the T8+ ("suppressor/cytotoxic") subset. The distribution contrasted with the predominance of the T4+ ("helper/inducer") subset in the interstitial tissues and in normal peripheral blood. The predominance of the "suppressor/cytotoxic" subset within the epithelium of the epididymis may exist in order to prevent the development of the immune response to auto-antigens on spermatozoa.
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D012152:Rete Testis / Q000276:immunology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001324:Autoantigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II