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Lymphocytic traffic and homing into target tissue and the generation of endocrine autoimmunity
Author(s) -
Pozzilli P.,
Carotenuto P.,
Delltala G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1994.tb01816.x
Subject(s) - autoimmunity , homing (biology) , endocrine system , autoantibody , immunology , biology , addressin , pathology , lymphocyte homing receptor , enteroendocrine cell , cell adhesion molecule , mononuclear cell infiltration , medicine , immune system , cell adhesion , cell , endocrinology , hormone , antibody , ecology , genetics
Summary Endocrine autoimmunity is known to be characterized by the presence of specific autoantibodies and from the histopathological point of view by lymphocytic inflitration in the target tissue. The presence of mononuclear cell infiltrates is the pathological hallmark of most endocrine diseases characterized by an autoimmune process directed against antigens expressed on endocrine cells. Infiltrating cells can usually be detected by biopsy or by using other, non‐invasive, techniques. However, in endocrine tissue such as the islets of Langerhans and the adrenal glands it is difficult to perform biopsies and diagnosis of the autoimmune process is dependent mainly upon detection of specific autoantibodies. A crucial aspect of endocrine autoimmunity and of all processes of organ specific autoimmunity is why and how lymphocytes migrate from primary lymphoid tissue to their specific targets. This occurs mainly through contact with specific adhesion molecules which enable lymphocytes to adhere to the endothelial vessels. In close proximity to the target tissue. In this review we discuss the homing of peripheral mononuclear cells into target endocrine tissues and the mediating role of adhesion molecules.