Summary
Epidermal Langerhans' cells (LC) were enumerated in normal human skin from various anatomical sites using a monoclonal antibody (NA1/34) to human thymocyte antigen (HTA-1) and the standard ATPase reaction on frozen sections. The same population of cells was identified with each technique. LC densities were found to be significantly higher in hair bearing skin than in skin from the palm and sole. LC were also identified in hair follicles (where the numbers decreased from the superficial to the deep portions) and sebaceous glands but in no other adnexal structure. Normal numbers were encountered in patients who had received radiotherapy or systemic chemotherapy for malignant disease for periods of greater than two months before death. As LC are important antigen presenting cells, the variation in their density suggests that the immunological properties of normal skin may not be uniform throughout the body. This may be related to the varying anatomical distribution of some skin disorders with an immunological basis.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Alyassin, T. M. &Toner, P. G. (1976) Langerhans cells in the human oesophagus.J. Anat. 122, 435–45.
Bergstresser, P. R., Toews, G. B., Gilliam, J. N. &Streilein, J. W. (1980) Unusual numbers and distributions of Langerhans cells in skin with unique immunologic properties.J. Invest. Dermatol. 74, 312–4.
Berman, B. &France, D. S. (1979) Histochemical analysis of Langerhans' cells.Am. J. Dermatopathol. 1, 215–21.
Birbeck, M. S., Breathnach, A. S. &Everall, J. D. (1961) An electron microscopic study of basal melanocytes and high level clear cells (Langerhans cells) in vitiligo.J. Invest. Dermatol. 37, 51–63.
Brown, J., Winkelmann, R. K. &Wolff, K. (1967) Langerhans cells in vitiligo: a qualitative study.J. Invest. Dermatol. 49, 386–90.
Chu, A., Eisinger, M., Lee, J. S., Takezaki, S., Kung, P. C. &Edelson, R. L. (1982) Immunoelectron microscope identification of Langerhans cells using a new antigenic marker.J. Invest. Dermatol. 78, 177–80.
Elleder, M., Povysil, C., Rozkovcova, J. &Cihula, J. (1977) Alpha-d-mannosidase activity in Histiocytosis X.Virchows Arch. (Pathol) 26, 139–45.
Fan, J., Schoenfeld, R. J. &Hunter, R. (1959) A study of epidermal clear cells with special reference to their relationship to the cells of Langerhans.J. Invest. Dermatol. 32, 445–9.
Fithian, E., Kung, P., Goldstein, G., Rubenfeld, M., Fenoglio, C. &Edelson, R. (1981) Reactivity of Langerhans cells with hybridoma antibody.Proc. Natn. Acad. Sci, U.S.A. 78, 2541–4.
Gschnait, F. &Brenner, W. (1979) Kinetics of epidermal Langerhans cells.J. Invest. Dermatol. 73, 566–9.
Hutchens, L. H., Sagebiel, R. W. &Clarke, M. A. (1971) Oral epithelial dendritic cells of the Rhesus monkey-histologic demonstration, fine structure and quantitative distribution.J. Invest. Dermatol.,56, 325–6.
Jimbow, K., Sato, S. &Kukita, A. (1969) Langerhans cells in the normal pilosebaceous system. An electron microscopic investigation.J. Invest. Dermatol. 52, 177–80.
Juhlin, L. &Shelley, W. B. (1977) New staining techniques for the Langerhans cell.Acta derm. venereol. (Stockh) 57, 289–96.
Klareskog, L., Tjernlund, U. M., Forsum, W. &Peterson, P. A. (1977) Epidermal Langerhans cells express Ia antigens.Nature 268, 248–50.
Lisi, P. (1973) Investigation of Langerhans cells in pathological human epidermis.Acta derm. venereol. (Stockh) 53, 425–8.
Lojda, Z., Gossrau, R. &Schiebler, T. H. (1979)Enzyme Histochemistry. A Laboratory Manual, 1st edn, p. 98. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag.
Mackenzie, I. C. &Squier, C. A. (1975) Cytochemical identification of ATPase positive Langerhans cells in EDTA-separated sheets of mouse epidermis.Br. J. Dermatol. 92, 523–33.
Mcmichael, A. J., Pilch, J. R., Galfre, G., Mason, D. Y., Fabre, J. W. &Milstein, C. (1979) A human thymocyte antigen defined by a hybridoma myeloma monoclonal antibody.Eur. J. Immunol. 9, 205–10.
Murphy, G. F., Bhan, A. K., Sato, S., Harrist, T. J. &Mihm, M. C. (1981) Characterization of Langerhans cells by the use of monoclonal antibodies.Lab. Invest. 45, 465–8.
Nordlund, J. J. &Ackles, A. (1981) A method for quantifying Langerhans cells in epidermal sheets of human and murine skin.Tissue Antigens 17, 217–25.
Ponder, B. A. &Wilkinson, M. M. (1981) Inhibition of endogenous tissue alkaline phosphatase with the use of alkaline phosphatase conjugates in immunohistochemistry.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 29, 981–4.
Rausch, E., Kaiserling, E. &Goos, M. (1977) Langerhans cells and interdigitating reticulum cells in the thymus-dependent region of human dermatopathic lymphadenitis.Virchows Arch. (Pathol) 25, 327–43.
Riley, P. A. (1967) A study of the distribution of epidermal dendritic cells in pigmented and non-pigmented skinJ. Invest. Dermatol. 48, 28–38.
Robins, P. G. &Brandon, D. R. (1981) A modification of the adenosine triphosphatase method to demonstrate epidermal Langerhans cells.Stain Technol. 56, 87–9.
Rowden, G., Chespak, L. W., &More, N. (1981) Epidermal Langerhans cell morphology and distribution after topical nitrogen mustard treatment. InThe Epidermis in Disease (edited byMarks, R. andChristophers, E.), p. 1. 31. Philadelphia: Lippincott (Medical).
Rowden, G., Phillips, T. M. &Lewis, M. G. (1979) Ia antigen on indeterminate cells of the epidermis. Immunoelectron microscopic studies of surface antigen.Br. J. Dermatol. 100, 531–42.
Saurat, J. H. (1981) Cutaneous manifestations of graft versus host disease.Int. J. Dermatol. 20, 249–56.
Schweizer, J. &Marks, F. (1977) A developmental study of the distribution and frequency of Langerhans cells in relation to formation of patterning in mouse tail epidermis.J. Invest. Dermatol. 69, 198–204.
Shelley, W. B. &Juhlin, L. (1976) Langerhans cells form a reticulo-epithelial trap for external contact antigens.Nature 261, 46–7.
Silberberg, I., Baer, R. L. &Rosenthal, S. A. (1976) The role of Langerhans cells in allergic contact hypersensitivity: review of findings in man and guinea pig.J. Invest. Dermatol. 66, 210–17.
Silberberg-Sinakin, I., Thorbecke, G. J., Baer, R. L., Rosenthal, S. A. &Berezowsky, V. (1976) Antigen-bearing Langerhans cells in skin, dermal lymphatics and in lymph nodes.Cell Immunol. 25, 137–51.
Stingl, G., Wolff-Schreiner, E. C. H., Pichler, W. J., Gschnait, F., Knapp, W. &Wolff, K. (1977) Epidermal Langerhans cells bear Fc and C3 receptors.Nature 268, 245–6.
Thomas, J. A., Janossy, G., Chilosi, M., Pritchard, J. &Pincott, J. R. (1982) Combined immunological and histochemical analysis of skin and lymph node lesions in histiocytosis X.J. Clin. Pathol. 35, 327–37.
Toews, G. B., Bergstresser, P. R. &Streilein, J. W. (1980) Epidermal Langerhans cell density dertermines whether contact hypersensitivity or unresponsiveness follows skin painting with DNFB.J. Immunol. 124, 445–53.
Wolff, K. &Winkelmann, R. K. (1967) Quantitative studies on the Langerhans cell population in guinea pig epidermis.J. Invest. Dermatol. 48, 504–13.
Zelickson, A. S. &Mottaz, J. H. (1968) Epidermal dendritic cells. A quantitative study.Arch. Dermatol. 98, 625–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thomas, J.A., Biggerstaff, M., Sloane, J.P. et al. Immunological and histochemical analysis of regional variations of epidermal Langerhans cells in normal human skin. Histochem J 16, 507–519 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041351
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041351