title: Phenotypical heterogeneity of testicular macrophages/dendritic cells in normal adult mice: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: The distribution of macrophage/dendritic cell antigens was investigated immunohistochemically in frozen testis sections of normal A/J mice using a panel of rat monoclonal antibodies against murine macrophage/dendritic cell antigens (F4/80, BM8, MP23, MOMA1, MOMA2, M5/114, BMDM1 and NLDC145). Sections of lymphoid organs were employed as positive controls. Stained-macrophages/dendritic cells in the testicular interstitium were various in shape, such as irregular-, elongate-, round- or oval-shaped cytoplasm with short or long cytoplasmic protrusions, but, the most conspicuous morphology was irregular. The testicular macrophages/dendritic cells were subdivided into four types of cells by their localization; various-shaped cells associated with Leydig cells and other interstitial cells (Type I); stretched cells attached to the seminiferous tubular wall (Type II); stretched cells attached to the blood vessel wall (Type III); and stretched cells attached to the inner side of the testicular capsule (Type IV). Examination of the staining pattern of the various antibodies showed that the macrophage/dendritic cell antigens differed from each other in amount present and localization, indicating phenotypical heterogeneity of the testicular macrophages. Additionally, a few macrophages were identified in the testicular capsule and in the tubuli recti but never in the seminiferous tubules.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers