Detection of antibodies to thymic tissue in human serum.
Antibodies specific to thymic tissue were detected in normal human serum by means of an indirect immunofluorescent technique. Approximately 50-88% of the total sera (33) showed positive staining, which was confined to the medullary zone primarily associated with the surface membranes of epithelial cells including Hassall's corpuscles. These observations point to the recognition by the immune-self of antigen(s) of the thymic epithelium in health, and presumably in disease.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D011817:Rabbits; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum