T. Torigoe et al., IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS OF ANTIGEN-PRESENTING CELLS AND FOLLICULAR DENDRITIC CELLS IN THE TONSIL, Acta oto-laryngologica, 1996, pp. 74-78
In the present study, in order to investigate the behavior in the lymp
hatic system of phagocytic cells which incorporate potential antigen i
n the tensile crypt, the distribution of HRP stained macrophages in th
e tonsillar system was observed with regard to changes with time. Furt
hermore, in the tonsillar tissue, in order to investigate the relation
ship among HRP marked macrophages, follicular dendritic cells and adhe
sion molecules, such as ICAM-1, immunological double staining was perf
omed. It is open to discussion whether ICAM-1 plays an important role
as an adhesive molecule in this migration of macrophages. Immunohistoc
hemical double staining method detected a relation between anti-ICAM-1
antibody positive cells and antigen stained macrophages. In the stain
ed area between anti-ICAM-1 antibodies and anti-DRC-1 antibodies, posi
tive cells were clearly observed to have reticular form, particularly
in the mature germinal center. This phenomenon implies that dendritic
cells express ICAM-1 on the cell surface to contact other immunorelate
d cells and/or substances. In the inter-follicular space, anti-ICAM-1
antibody positive cells were observed to form a cluster composed of IC
AM-1 positive cells, lymphcytes and HRP stained macrophages. This clus
ter may be considered the most primary stage of follicles or as trigge
ring the creation of an inmature follicle.