Lymph node macrophage heterogeneity: the phenotypic and functional characterization of two distinct populations of macrophages from rat lymph node.

Journal article

The isolation and characterization of lymph node macrophages (M phi) has shown a hitherto unknown heterogeneity. Two types of M phi were distinguished by morphology, monoclonal antibody staining and functional assays. The type I M phi failed to express surface Ia even when activated, a characteristic which has only previously been reported for splenic marginal zone M phi; despite studies suggesting an antigen presentation role for the M phi, the failure to express surface Ia would seem to eliminate an interaction with T helper cells for the type I M phi in the lymph node. In contrast, the type I M phi, other characteristics of clustering with activated B cells in vitro, the colocalization of the type I M phi and activated B cells in situ, the specific uptake of thymus-independent type 2 antigens and the failure to undergo respiratory burst activity all suggest a M phi-B cell interaction, possibly of a trophic nature. The defective microbicidal activity of the type I M phi may have been compensated for by the type II M phi, which expresses both strong respiratory burst activity and surface Ia expression when freshly isolated. However, unlike the inflammatory M phi the activated phenotype of the type II M phi did not appear to be interferon-gamma dependent because type II M phi could also be isolated from nude rat lymph nodes.

Authors: Chao, D; Macpherson, G

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: European journal of immunology
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 1273-1281
• Publication date: 1989-07-01
• DOI: 10.1002/eji.1830190719
• EISSN: 1521-4141
• ISSN: 0014-2980
• Language: English
• Keywords: Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; Lymph Nodes; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; Phagocytosis; Spleen; B-Lymphocytes; Rats, Inbred Strains; Macrophages; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigens, CD2; Rats; Cells, Cultured; Oxygen Consumption; Cell Separation; Receptors, Immunologic