Premium
Identification of the Bone Marrow‐Derived Ia Positive Cells in the Rat Thymus: A Morphological and Cytochemical Study
Author(s) -
Duijvestijn A.M.,
Barclay A.N.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.36.5.561
Subject(s) - biology , bone marrow , cytoplasm , reticular cell , medulla , staining , pathology , population , in vivo , acid phosphatase , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , immunology , spleen , biochemistry , medicine , genetics , demography , sociology , enzyme
Ia+ cells of bone marrow origin were studied in the thymus of normal and bone marrow‐reconstituted radiation chimeras of rats and characterized on morphology and acid phosphatase (APh)‐ and la‐staining pattern in‐vivo and in‐ vitro, In‐vivo, the majority of the bone marrow‐derived la+ ceils were present in the medulla. They were large, had cell processes extending between surrounding thymocytes, and frequently weak APh activity. In‐vitro, the la staining was demonstrated on the cell surface in variable intensity, la + cells showed a frayed outline with cell processes between adherent thymocytes and had weak cytoplasmic APh activity, frequently in a central spot. They had an elongated, usually invaginated, nucleus and a rather pale cytoplasm, in which Birbeck granules sometimes were observed. The characteristics of the bone marrow‐ derived la + cells demonstrate these cells are an equivalent of the interdigitating cells present in thymus medulla. They distinguish themselves from a population of la‐, strongly APh+ macrophages predominantly localized in the cortex, and from the la +, APh ‐ thymic reticular epithelial cells.