ATPase and MHC class II molecules co-expression in Rana pipiens dendritic cells.
Mammalian Langerhans cells are antigen-presenting cells located in different epithelia. These cells have a characteristic ultrastructural pattern, present a plasmatic membrane ATPase activity and constitutively express class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex. ATPase-positive dendritic cells that are morphologically similar to Langerhans cells have also been found in amphibian epidermis. In order to demonstrate that ATPase-positive dendritic cells of amphibian epidermis express class II molecules and are present in other stratified epithelia, histochemical and immunohistochemical as well as ultrastructural analysis were performed. ATPase-positive dendritic cells and class II-positive dendritic cells were observed in epidermis, nictitant membrane and cornea. In epidermis the number of ATPase-positive dendritic cells was 656+/-186/mm2 while class II-positive dendritic cells was 119+/-45/mm2. Some ATPase-positive dendritic cells showed co-expression of class II molecules. These results suggest the existence of dendritic cell subsets in amphibians as is clearly demonstrated in mammals.
Castell-Rodríguez
A E
AE
Departamento de Biología Celular y Tisular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México DF, Mexico. castell@servidor.unam.mx
Hernández-Peñaloza
A
A
Sampedro-Carrillo
E A
EA
Herrera-Enriquez
M A
MA
Alvarez-Pérez
S J
SJ
Rondán-Zarate
A
A
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D011894:Rana pipiens / Q000276:immunology*; D012867:Skin / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases