Morphological and phenotypical characterization of bone marrow-derived dendritic Thy-1-positive epidermal cells of the mouse

Increasing evidence exists that the spectrum of dendritic cells within the epidermis is more complex than previously thought. In addition to Langerhans cells, Merkel cells, and melanocytes, the murine epidermis contains a dendritic cell population whose most prominent phenotypic feature is the Thy-1 antigen. These cells are now generally referred to as dendritic Thy-1⁺ epidermal cells (dThy-1⁺EC). The ultrastructural features of these cells do not resemble those of other resident epidermal cells (EC). In particular, their cytoplasm contains abundant intermediate-sized filaments of the vimentin type as well as membrane-limited organelles with a central granular core. The bone marrow derivation of dThy-1⁺EC is now well established: (1) dThy-1⁺EC carry Ly-5 determinants whose expression is restricted to cells of the hemopoietic differentiation pathway, and (2) studies using Thy-1-disparate radiation bone marrow chimeras have revealed the presence of donor-type Thy-1⁺ cells within the epidermis; by immunoelectron microscopy, these cells represent dThy-1⁺EC. dThy-1⁺EC repopulate the epidermis at a slower rate than Langerhans cells as evidenced (1) by a direct comparison of the repopulation kinetics of both cell systems in radiation bone marrow chimeras, and (2) by experiments studying the emergence of either Ia⁺- or dThy-1⁺EC in an epidermis which had been previously depleted of either Langerhans cells (glucocorticosteroids) or of dThy-1⁺EC (PUVA). The phenotypical features of dThy-1⁺EC differ from those of thymus-derived lymphocytes, B cells, dendritic cells, and mononuclear phagocytes. The surface marker repertoire of dThy-1⁺EC (Thy-1, Ly-5, asialo-GM1) resembles certain members of the rather heterogeneous natural killer (NK) cell system but functional studies are needed to ascertain this contention.