title: [Isolation and characterization of dendritic cells from normal human esophageal  mucosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics of dendritic cells (DCs) from normal human esophageal mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected normal esophageal mucosa samples from healthy individuals using endoscope and isolated mononuclear cells from the samples using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. DCs were further separated by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) to analyze DCs subsets by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three mononuclear cell populations were detected in normal human esophageal mucosa: HLA-DR(high)/CD13(low);, HLA-DR(med)/CD13(+); and HLA-DR(-)/CD13(+). HLA-DR(high)/CD13(low); cells expressed the DCs-associated molecules and were referred to as esophageal mucosal DCs. The DCs were immature since they expressed low levels of CD80, CD83 and CD86.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HLA-DR(high)/CD13(low); cells isolated from the normal human esophageal mucosa were proved to be DCs. DCs can be successfully isolated from esophageal mucosa.
authors: Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, China.
authors: Cun-liang
authors: CL
authors: Wang
authors: Han-bing
authors: HB
authors: Ning
authors: Yan-hong
authors: YH
authors: Wang
authors: Lian-feng
authors: LF
authors: Zhang
authors: Ji-chang
authors: JC
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002469:Cell Separation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D009092:Mucous Membrane